


Missing Your Demon

by amira_shush



Category: Bleach
Genre: Action, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Developing Relationship, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance, Some Humor, Sternritters, TYBW Arc, Thousand Year Blood War Arc, Ulquiorra will be having a 3rd release form like in BBS, a side of grimmnel, a tiny bit nnoinel, analysis of some arcs, ulquiichi, you know what? All Arrancars are in their BBS final form
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:00:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 32,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26019175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amira_shush/pseuds/amira_shush
Summary: After the first invasion from the Sternritters, the entire soul society is in chaos and the Gotei 13 is barely standing on anything.When the 0 division arrives, they tell Urahara how the enemy is far greater than his imagination. The genius scientist prepares all necessary measures while the injured are healing but one piece is still amiss.When Ichigo and his gang are ready to face Yhwach again, Urahara tasks Ichigo alone to go to Hueco Mundo and collect all the Arrancars to battle alongside them. The ones Mayuri brought back were of lower class and wouldn't hold up against the bigger army.Ichigo with his new found power and confidence goes to Hueco Mundo to collect them, little did he know about the surprises that awaited him there.
Relationships: Grimmjow Jaegerjaques/Nelliel Tu Oderschvank, Inoue Orihime/Ishida Uryuu, Ulquiorra Cifer/Kurosaki Ichigo
Comments: 96
Kudos: 122





	1. Chapter 1

"What the hell? Why should I go to Hueco Mundo!? I trained to face-" A shut fan was gently tapped over Ichigos' lips. 

"I would never ask you to do this if I didn't have confidence in your powers, Ichigo. Yhwach still hasn't appeared, he has to battle captain Genryuusai even if he does. However, the sternritters are definitely on the move and you don't know how many casualties we are facing at the moment due to the lack of army on our side. You have fought and known most of those Arrancars, so it will be easier for you to find them and get them here on time." Urahara tells the other with a hint of urgency in his tone. 

Ichigos' eyes shifted to his feet, his mind having a dilemma of its' own. 

"Go, Ichigo. We will hold back Yhwach until you arrive." Rukia says, her voice full of confidence and the unwavering trust she always had for him. 

"Tch. As egotistic as ever, Kurosaki Ichigo." Byakuya retorts. 

"Ya really think we were just sittin' around while ya trained? You really have yer head up yer ass!" Renji snorts.

"Shut up! I get it!" Ichigo yells at Renji dryly. Then he smiles as he turns back to Urahara, "Open the garganta." 

The sandy dunes of Hueco Mundo greet the red head upon his arrival. 

He looks at the night sky that blankets the entirety of Hueco Mundo with its' never fading moon and sighs in nostalgia. This place really brings back memories. 

He shuts his eyes and tries sensing for any reiatsu he feels familiar with, but none reach him. 

He decides to move towards Las Noches in hopes of finding anything. 

Ichigo did say he would go to Las Noches to feel for reiatsu. 

Yet, he didn't know why the first place his feet had led him to were the very grounds where his inner demon had taken over. 

His very first failure.

It wasn't a battle where he won, it was a battle where he lost himself and brutally killed his enemy. 

A battle where his enemy saved his friends from being blown to extinction. 

A battle where when he came to, he couldn't look his friends in the eye. 

The image of Ulquiorra turning to dust came to his mind and he paused in his steps. Staring at the very sky that had turned green and red with their powers. 

Even after he had returned to the human world, he would have nightmares of this event. He always created scenarios in his head of how it could have turned out if Inoue had used her santen-kesshun to heal him and they had crossed swords again. He was sure Inoue held the same thoughts as there was clearly something between her and him. He couldn't pinpoint what exactly was it, but they did establish some sort of connection among themselves. 

Uryuu had told him it wasn't his fault. He had assured him that things had to turn out this way or else they all would've died eventually.

Ichigo knew he was right. He knew all their theories made sense. 

Then, why was it so difficult to forget? He had finally conquered both of his souls too, then why did the guilt still remain?

"Shinigami." 

Ichigo whipped his head around, swords already in his hands as he faced the monotonous voice. 

Then his eyes widened like saucers. His knees growing weak at the sight of none other than the person he was just thinking of. 

"Ulquiorra..." He almost whispered, realizing how parched his mouth was all of a sudden. He mentally cursed himself for being so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice the others' reiatsu.

"What business do you have here?" The emerald eyes stared down at Ichigo, demanding answers. 

"I..." Ichigo found it hard to form words. Despite the threatening aura that surrounded the other arrancar, it wasn't filled with the animosity as before. Neither did his eyes look as empty as when they had last met. 

He had definitely changed. 

"H-how are you alive!? I defeated you." He found himself asking instead. 

"Hm?" Ulquiorra looked at the other like he was dumb. "I'm a Vasto lorde. We can be reborn from these very sands. As a Vasto Lorde yourself, shouldn't you be aware of this simple fact?"

"Don't call me that!" Ichigo snapped while the other simply stared apathetically. 

"Your reiatsu feels different. Why are you here?" 

"I need to collect an army of Arrancars to fight alongside us in Soul Society. A very strong enemy has appeared. My hollow powers have turned into a sword, maybe that's why you feel a difference in my reiatsu."

There's a short pause.

"I see. If you have no intention to cause harm, I will be taking my leave." The Arrancar says and starts walking away. 

Ichigo watches the others' poised figure retreating back to the tall broken pillar that stood exactly where the fake sunny skies of Las Noches had once been broken. He vaguely wondered why no one ever fixed it until he realized he had a more important matter at hand. He felt an impending doom that he would never see the other again once he left this place in search of the other Arrancars.

Ulquiorras' power was going to be a huge advantage to them in this battle. He would be foolish to let him go. He could also make the other help him find the other Arrancars. 

"Ulquiorra!" He cried the others' name as he ran towards him. 

The Arrancar stops and shifts slightly to turn his head towards the Shinigami. 

"I need your help."

"I'm not interested."

"I need your help finding the other Arrancars! Please! Your power will help us a lot."

"You sound pathetic. You're plenty strong." 

"I will have to save my powers to fight the final enemy. He is the Sternritters' leader and his power is still unknown. Almost all captains have been defeated by his army alone! I was the only one..." He stops, remembering the carnage he had arrived to, gulping down the memories, he continues in a softer tone, "I was the only one standing when I arrived..."

There is a short pause again. Ichigo hopes he has gotten through the other somehow.

"There is nothing that interests me from what you just said but," Ulquiorra fully turns to face the other, "I know where the other Arrancars are, I will lead you to them."

The red head's mouth breaks into a wide smile, "Thank you, Ulquiorra." 

The smile surprises Ulquiorra. He had never seen the boy smile. He had only seen the burning fire in his eyes. He remembered the womans' smile but it was far different from hers. This smile was not of longing. 

It was of trust. Comradery. 

"Foolish Shinigami" He grunts as he starts walking towards another direction. 

"Hey! What did you just say!?" 


	2. The Search

The journey to find the other Arrancars is silent. 

Ichigo expected it but he can't help but compare it to the time when he came with his friends and how they had found Nel with her fraccions back then. 

"Who is the first Arrancar we'll be seeing?" He asks.

"Grimmjow."

"Oh..." 

Ichigo hopes the former Arrancar doesn't try to fight him again. He was a troublesome one. 

"Is... Aizen still alive?" Ulquiorra asks after a brief moment. 

"Yes. He is serving for his crimes." 

"You were able to defeat him despite the hogyoku?"

"Yes. I gained a power superior to any power, even more so than my current form. Unfortunately, I could only use that form once... if used again I will disintegrate."

"How did you gain it?"

Ichigo tells him all about the winter war and Aizens' eventual defeat. He was glad the stifling silence was gone and it was the other who had initiated the conversation. 

"You lost your powers?"

"...Yes..." 

Ulquiorra could sense the reluctance in the other at the mention of his loss of power so didn't pry further. It must have affected him worse than the war with Aizen for him to not speak of it. 

The silence comes back but it's more comfortable now. 

The sand makes a soft, swishing sound as they both come to a halt. 

They look upon a small square shaped home. 

Ichigo is about to ask whether he should go there and look for Grimmjow when the said person steps out of the house, staring angrily at where they stood.

"Kurosaki! You bastard! What are you doing here!?" He shouts as he leaps across the dunes, a cero charging in one of his hands. 

Ichigo pulls his swords out but to his utter astonishment, Ulquiorra has already placed himself between them both, his arm barricading Grimmjow from making any moves on the shinigami. 

"What is the meaning of this!?" The blue haired arrancar bellows angrily.

"Grimmjow, you really shouldn't charge at people like that!" A female voice sounds from behind him and Ichigo shifts to see who it is.

Nelliel and Ichigo stare at each other in awe. She was in her grown form.

"I-Ichigo? But... your reiatsu doesn't feel the same..." She says slowly but when Ichigo greets her with a small, nervous smile, she grins happily and runs towards him with open arms. "It is you! Ichigo!" 

Ichigo would never admit it, but he missed Nels' hug. Despite how it was currently making him lose breath from her ample breasts pressing against him, he still missed how much she had overwhelmed him back then with her support and her powers. She was a pillar of support for him. 

"Hey! You can't just go around doing that!" Grimmjow growled from somewhere behind her and pulled her away. "What do you want, Kurosaki?" 

"I need your help." 

'What!?"

"Soul Society is in danger and we need an army. The enemy is very strong." 

"I will come with you, Ichigo." Nel interrupts, her eyes determined. 

"What if you lose your powers like last time?" The red head asks, worry evident in his voice. 

"I have managed to maintain my form! I can keep it up for a few days!" 

Ichigo considers replying back about how dangerous it will be but decides against it. Nel was going to follow them anyways, he will think of something when they reach soul society. 

Grimmjow looked like he wanted to argue with both of them but he only huffs and looks away in exasperation. He knew he owed the shinigami for saving his life and he had another person to worry about too. He couldn't let Nel go alone and trying to stop her will not help. 

It's quiet for a while and the blue haired arrancar realizes they're all looking at him. 

"Che! Fine! The enemy better be worthy of my time!" 

They start walking again and Ichigo asks Ulquiorra the same question after a while. 

"Nnoitra." 

Ichigo stiffens, remembering that monster. He was incredibly strong to the point even Zaraki had trouble defeating him and only could do so when Nnoitra threatened to kill Yachiru. 

"He is far though, do you wish to rest?" Ulquiorra cut through his thoughts.

"Rest? We can't do that! If he is far let's use shunpo to reach him sooner!" The red head suggests. 

"Oi, Kurosaki! Your reiatsu may be a lot stronger now but you had no mental progress, huh?" Grimmjow sneers. 

"Just shut up! Why is it so hard for you to tell me things straight!?" Ichigo snaps back at him. 

"When you shunpo, your reiatsu rises slightly. In your condition, you will get hoards of hollows to follow you within a 30 mile radius." Nelliel explains. 

"Ah... then..." Ichigo looks at his feet that were swelling up from all the walking, "Fine." 

Ichigo made a fire, took off one of his coats from all the layers of clothes he was wearing and made it into a makeshift bed, already feeling sleep taking over him. He was glad they stopped as he drifted off. 

It shouldn't have been long but the red head felt something missing. 

he opened his eyes and looked towards the direction where Nel and Grimmjow were sitting, noting they weren't there anymore. He looked to his other side to see Ulquiorra sitting near the fire, feeling the others' eyes on him made him slowly turn to meet his eyes. 

"Where are the rest?" Ichigo asked when his eyes met with the other. 

"They went to hunt hollows." The monotonous answer came. 

"For what?" 

"For eating."

"They eat hollows!?"

"What do you do to gain strength, Kurosaki Ichigo?" Irritation was evident in the emerald eyed arrancars' voice.

Ichigo knew the other was annoyed but he decided to further push his buttons, _just test the waters a little bit_ , he tells himself as a small smirk plays on his lips, "Training?" 

"That's for gaining skills. I said, "strength". I can see what Grimmjow meant when he spoke of your intelligence."

"Hey! I'm not stupid!" 

It's Ulquiorras' turn to smirk now, to Ichigos' great surprise. It was a tiny turning of the lips, but thanks to the glow from the fire, he was able to see it.

"You're staring." The arrancar remarks and the shinigami immediately looks away. _Why am I taken aback?_

Ichigo sits up, not sleepy anymore and moves closer to the fire, sitting next to the arrancar. 

They are silent for a moment when the red head asks, "Ulquiorra, what made you follow Aizen?" 

The said person looked like he was going to ignore the question but then he looks into the red heads' eyes, "He gave me a reason to live." 

"What do you mean by that? He betrayed you all!" Ichigo could never assume in his wildest imaginations that Ulquiorra would have such a sentimental reason of following the betrayer of soul society and them! His own creations! It made his gut bubble with anger he had felt in the past.

"I... had nothing." The arrancar continued, staring at the fire, his eyes didn't look flat anymore. They seemed to be far away.

Suddenly, a very heavy atmosphere settled around them. Ichigo felt as if he shouldn't speak, for if he did, it will be like shattering the very atmosphere like glass. So he remained silent as the other continued.

"My hollow life... was filled with nothingness. I remember seeing others eat each other for strength and found that useless. They were trash in my eyes. They thought being at the top of the food chain will satisfy them. It was a very shallow way of living. There was nothing that contented me. Until..." Ulquiorra looks at the other, his eyes unwavering, "I saw a.. bush." 

Ichigo felt as if the other was searching his face for a reaction. He only stared back into those large green eyes. 

"It was the first time that I felt, I was understood. The bush was in the middle of nothing, served nothing of purpose, had nothing inside it and needed nothing to keep existing. I laid inside it and became one with it. I don't remember how Aizen found me, but I was grateful he did because I had finally found a purpose to live and serve." 

"And... now?"

There was silence again and without thinking, Ichigo placed his hand on the others' back. He expected the other to flinch or maybe push him away but he did none of that. Instead he only kept looking at Ichigo and opened his mouth to answer when they felt the familiar reiatsu of both the Arrancars returning. 

"Yo!" Grimmjow greeted, "We found Nnoitra. He was close by. Let's go!" 

With that, everyone starts moving again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't expect the Kudos at all ;A; thank you so much you guys are so sweet!!  
> I really hope you guys are enjoying the story so far! I would love to know your thoughts!


	3. The Search (2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ichigo finds all the arrancars. However, Ulquiorra has something else in mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to clear something up - people who have crossed swords with Ichigo, remember his spiritual pressure/reiatsu cearly. They sense the familiarity but also the change since he doesn't have the hollow living inside of him anymore+his quincy powers are also mixed with his current powers. That's why Nelliel had difficulty placing the reiatsu as definitely his because she never crossed swords with him.

Nnoitras' reiatsu could be felt from miles away. 

Grimmjow had told them he was having petty brawls in the forest of Menos. They didn't approach him in fear they will be dragged into a meaningless fight. 

Ichigo looks at the blue haired arrancar with a puzzled expression. 

This wasn't the Grimmjow he knew. 

He remembered how the other had told him that there should be no meanings in fights. We fight because we want to fight. He was the one who taught Ichigo the taste of battle. He had pulled Ichigos' subconscious thoughts and beliefs out of him. 

Ulquiorra was quietly noting all this. Amused at how Ichigo is still dull when it comes to figuring out the atmosphere and others' feelings. 

"Since when did you start living with Nelliel, Grimmjow?" He asked. It wasn't because of how clueless Kurosaki was, but for his own information. 

"Uh... she healed me when Nnoitra almost sliced me...." He answers the Cuarto espada. 

"So, you two decided to live together?"

"She just tagged along! You know how she is!" 

"The incident happened a while ago... yet I still smell her on you."

"Actually, he gets himself wounded quite often! He tells me the hollows are stronger now so every time he returns he has a wound on him that he asks me to heal!" Nelliel cut in with a playful smirk on her lips. 

Everyone watched as Grimmjows' ears and cheeks turned a bright scarlet. Nelliel heals others from her saliva... if her grown version was healing the sexto espada, it was obvious how she must be doing it.

"I see." Ulquiorra answers with a smirk. 

Ichigo could only smile. He didn't care what they did. What mattered was that it was rubbing off on Grimmjow and he liked to see this more rational side of him. 

"Orraaa!" 

Loud shouts of cheers and applause could be heard when they reached the the forest. 

They suppress their reiatsu and watch the fight from afar. 

Nnoitra was swinging his crescent shaped sword around, slashing the adjuchas that stood in his way. 

Nelliel gets up and goes towards them, much to Grimmjow and Ichigos' shock. 

Nnoitra stops even before she reaches him, his eyes widening as he looks around desperately, feeling the familiar reiatsu. 

"Nelliel!" He yells when he sees her form appear. 

"You really did not change, Nnoitra."

"Shut up! Why are ya alive!? That shinigami boy saved ya, huh? So? Did ya guys get it on after I fell once by that brute!?"

"I didn't come here to argue. Come with me. I will give you a much better enemy to fight."

"Why shou-" He stops midway, falling to the ground from the sheer reiatsu that he was familiar with. Sweat forms over his brows as he looks around for the source, fear striking him as he watches hollows evaporate from the spiritual pressure alone. He only knew Starrk to be capable of doing this. Who else could stand on the same ground as him?

"I need an army to fight alongside us in soul society." A voice comes from behind him, a voice filled with confidence unlike the first time he had met that man. Nnoitra couldn't believe it. 

"Why the fuck do ya think I will join ya scums!" Nnoitra all but crawls in an effort to get away from the reiatsu, his voice breaking in gasps despite his curses. 

"You are strong, Nnoitra. You will be very helpful." Ichigo says, reducing the force of his reiatsu. 

Nnoitra didn't want to hear that from him. 

Not him.

He gets up, thankful for the reiatsu to have dissipated. 

He looks at Nelliel. Who is still watching him with pity in her eyes. 

He wanted to scream, he wanted to slash those eyes, he wanted to break her neck for looking at him like that. 

Then, Nelliel comes closer to him, holding out her hand. 

He wanted to stab her just then and there but he suddenly feels his breath hitch. 

The memories of her watching him, just before he had fallen. 

The memories, the only time he wished he had listened to her. 

No. That was wrong. 

It was the only time he wished she could save him again. 

Save him from himself. 

He couldn't find the will to fight when he had woken up again. He wished he had just turned to dust because of the humiliation he faced upon his death. 

The cursed hogyoku just won't let him rest. 

And now, here she was. Right before him. Saving him all over again, despite all he did.

It sickened him. 

He hated himself so much at that moment that all he could do was, slap her hand away. 

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" He shouted. 

"Nnoitra..." Her voice is small, compassionate. 

_I don't deserve it. I don't deserve it. STOP! STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT! STOP! STOP SPEAKING TO ME LIKE THAT!_ His mind screams as he swings his sword aimlessly in front of him, his other hand supporting his head that threatened to split apart.

Then he falls to the ground, his body limp. Ulquiorra had landed a neck chop just in time. 

"Ichigo Kurosaki, do you wish to still take him?" The Cuarto espada asks.

"Yes." Ichigo answers without hesitation. He was sure Nnoitra will change his mind once he's in soul society. He looks over at Grimmjow who wore a tensed look on his face, but didn't say anything.

Nelliel takes the initiative to carry the quinto espada. 

"I will carry him. Give him to me." Grimmjow says and she complies without a word, placing the espada on the others' back.

As they make their way through the deserts again, Ichigo senses the burning reiatsu of someone before even reaching them. 

He tries to remember whose it was but is cut short by Nelliel, "It's Starrk. He must have been reborn because he is unable to contain his reiatsu just like the old times." Her face is tense. 

"Did you know him?" Ichigo asks. 

"Not for long. But, he was a very calm vasto lorde. I admired him for his ideals. He really wished for everyone to get along." She pauses, then, "He wanted to be normal." 

Ichigo thinks over her words for a while. He feels the overwhelming reiatsu and wonders if this espada will join. 

"What were his ideals?" He asks. 

"He didn't believe in wars. He didn't like fighting in general." She answers. 

Ichigo is a bit anxious now. Starrks' power will be an amazing addition to their side. His reiatsu alone was burdening them.

He halts when Grimmjow, Nelliel and Ulquiorra come to a stop.

"We can't go further than this without our released forms, but you can push forward and find him easily. Good luck." Nelliel waves as Ichigo nods in understanding and flash steps towards the reiatsu. 

He finds a single figure sitting amongst heaps of dead hollows. He turns around slowly at the approaching figure of the shinigami. 

"You must be really strong in order to reach me... but, I apologize in advance since I won't be taking any requests of joining someone." Starrk says, his tone underlined with anger.

"I defeated Aizen. I am sorry you had to get betrayed like that by him." Ichigo feels the loneliness and sorrow in the others' eyes as they meet his. He knew already what made Starrk so wary.

"You defeated him?" The Primero espada shifts, "How?"

Ichigo seats himself across from the other and decides to tell him about what happened after they fell. Starrk listens intently. His eyes never leaving the others'. 

"You are very impressive, um?" 

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Ah," Starrk smiles in nostalgia, "The boy who wrecked havoc in Hueco Mundo. No wonder Aizen had such a keen interest in you. He did all of that to have a competition to test his powers but it really came back to bite him, a miscalculation on his part." He smiles again and Ichigo decides Starrk had one of the most honest smiles he had ever seen. It was so warm and endearing. 

"Please, Starrk. I need your help. We need people to fight in this battle." 

"I refuse." 

"Please... most of our captains and lieutenants are either dead or healing... we need manpower..."

"Captains... are dead?" Starrks' eyes are wide, curious. Ichigo realizes the other is... worried? 

"Yes..."

"Even Kyoraku?" 

At that, Ichigo remembers who had fought Starrk. He remembered hearing it from Kyoraku himself. _How could I forget!?_ He thinks as he remembers all Kyoraku had told him about the Espada before him.

"He is fine and he actually spoke about you after the war."

"He did?" 

"Yes. He told me how you were a bit too naiive for an Espada."

"Wow. Just what I'd expect from that cunning captain." Starrk rolls his eyes. 

"He actually did hold the same thoughts as you. He told me how if it wasn't for the war, he would have fancied to have sake with you under the sakura trees in his division." 

Starrk is not surprised. Despite his thoughts on his death, he had seen the look on Kyorakus' face as he fell. He was sketchy but the captain did hold remorse. He wasn't mistaken when he crossed swords with the captain and deduced such. Kyoraku was right in his standing back then. 

"You won't kill me after everything's done?" The Primero asks with a small voice.

"I will protect you if I have to, Starrk. I will make sure you won't die." Ichigo assures the other who is stunned. The tips of his ears turning red. 

He stands up then and drops his cloak, "Let's get moving then." He stretches his arms and yawns. 

"You will have to wear this first." Ichigo holds out a bracelet and reaches for Starrks hand, "It will help in suppressing your spiritual pressure, the others told me they can't handle you without their released forms." He closes the bracelet around the others' wrists. "Urahara had given me this in case I encountered an unstable Espada." 

"The others?" Starrk asks as they start moving back to their group. 

"Yes. Some Espadas were reborn just like you. They are joining us." 

Starrk smiles fondly, "That is very good." 

When they join the group, Ichigo asks Ulquiorra if there were any more. 

"None. I have never found or felt the others' presence." 

"Alright. We will all be heading back now." Ichigo announces and takes out a ring that Urahara had specifically made for him to open the Garganta leading back to soul society. 

He takes another look to see everyone and is surprised when he notices Ulquiorra is not there. 

"Where did he go?" The shinigami asks. 

"He left to that way." Starrk replies, pointing to his left. 

Ichigo catches up to the Espada. Panting since he used shunpo while suppressing as much reiatsu as possible. 

"Ulquiorra! Where are you going? Aren't you coming?" 

"I never said I'd join you." 

"Why?"

"I have no interest."

"Ulquiorra..." Ichigo feels helpless. He questioned himself _why am I so desperate to get him to join us?_ and it occurred to him. 

_Closure._

He wanted closure with the espada in regards to what had happened in the past. He wanted to get rid of that guilt and shame once and for all. 

It was selfish and he realized the other must have realized it way before he came to this conclusion. Thus, the reaction. 

"I will do anything. Anything you ask me to. It is true, I needed closure with what I did to you in the past and that's why I tried so hard to make you join me..." Ichigo decides to come clean. He has to give it his all. "I'm sure you already knew... but... I also admire your prowess. I know you fight with purp-" He coughs when a strong punch is landed to his gut. 

"Ichigo." Ulquiorra speaks in an uncharacteristic, soft tone as he leans down, placing his fingers under the others' chin, lifting his face so their eyes met, "Will you do anything, for me to join you?" 

The red head is terrified. 

He doesn't know what the other is thinking and it terrifies him because he has never seen Ulquiorra like this. His brain feels like mush because the espadas' face is impossibly close to his and his gut is telling him that nothing good will come out of it. He doesn't even know what to feel because the hand holding his chin are doing so delicately and are warm. The feeling was too foreign to be coming from an ex-enemy.

"I can hear you thinking... you really are difficult, aren't you? Would it be better if I showed you, then?"

It takes Ichigo a while to realize that Ulquiorra was actually staring at his lips and the panic alarms that went inside his head were like none other, he finally finds it in himself to push the espada away. 

He doesn't want to think what his mind was telling him. He _could not_ bring himself to think that way. He may faint at the spot.

He watches the espada smirk again, this time it is more mischievous, "Your face is red."

"It's not!" Ichigo fires back, feeling his face growing even hotter. 

"I will join you but I have a request. " Ulquiorra doesn't give him a chance to redeem himself.

_This bastard!_

"What request is it?" _No way am I gonna fall for this bastards' play just now!_ He puts up a brave, challenging face.

"After the war, you will stay with me." 

"For how long and for what reason?" He keeps pushing away the memory of what just happened. _Ulquiorra was surely just playing around._

"I won't disclose the reason but I need a week. After that, it's your choice to stay or leave." 

_That didn't sound threatening or dangerous at all. What could happen in a week anyway?_ Ichigo thinks to himself before nodding, "Alright. We have a deal."

 _The reason will distract you from the war anyways..._ Ulquiorra thinks to himself before he starts walking towards their group. 

Ichigo taps his power into the ring and a garganta opens. 

They all make their way towards Soul Society. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading and the kudos!  
> I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions!


	4. The War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ulquiorra's intentions are known.  
> The sternritters have invaded soul society and the war begins!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, I won't be including too many details of how the fights go. I hope it will all be enjoyable to read nevertheless.

Ulquiorra thought he was losing his mind when he felt the familiar reiatsu, albeit much more powerful and pure than before. 

He immediately went towards the location of the enormous energy.

He watched from afar, concealing his reiatsu, as the shinigami walked along the sands of Hueco Mundo. 

Curious, he followed the bright, orange headed male who walked with purpose. 

He was stunned when he saw the other go over Las Noches' broken ceiling. The memories that were playing in his head from the minute he had felt the reiatsu were now replaying much faster, making him feel them more intensely. 

He hated this.

When he called out to the other, he didn't dare mention his name. 

Why was that? 

When the red head turned around, swords ready, the same fire intensely burning in his caramel irises - he found his answer.

_Familiarity._

The feeling of familiarity was more intimate than he had ever felt before. 

The boy who, upon coming back to life, wished to have his arm and leg cut off too just like his. 

It was a suicide wish.

The painful expression he held, the face of someone who wanted to die from guilt. 

_Ah,_ he thought to himself as the shinigami bared his teeth and asked how he was still alive, trying his best to look as threatening as possible while holding his defensive stance with two swords in hand, _he still fears me._

He really wanted to laugh at that moment. Why was this boy so predictable yet so surprising? 

But, Ulquiorra knew. 

It wasn't his strength. Just like him, the boy had those memories in mind. They were engraved in him. 

Just as humans call it, a _trauma_. 

With the way the boy shouted his name when he decided to leave, he knew. 

The boy needed riddance of the sin he thought he committed, when it was that wretched overpowering Vasto Lorde that had lived within him. 

Knowing the boys' nature, he knew the other wouldn't let him go. 

He decided to keep his distance and help him. Help him so he can quickly leave Hueco Mundo. 

He hated these feelings erupting within him. The red head needed to get away as quickly as possible.

However, things took a turn.

He had thought that Grimmjow was living alone, like all Espadas, stranded in their loneliness. 

Imagine his shock when he felt Nelliels' very adult reiatsu? What was she even doing with the sexto? 

Then, the sweet scent of her on Grimmjow almost suffocated him when he tried to close in on the shinigami with a cero, which Ulquiorra easily prevented from reaching the red head since there were no intentions of fighting.

He noted how the tangerine heads' eyes softened instantly upon looking at Nel. His reddened face which was supposed to show his embarrassment from the way he was being held, proved to be bliss instead. 

He was envious.

His envy grew even further when the couple left to hunt while the red head slept. 

He was so envious. He wished he had never been reborn. 

Never been reborn with the memory of gaining his heart. 

All these new feelings were so disturbing. He wished to revert to being empty again. 

Was he the only one who was meant to be alone? To have nothing?

He missed Gin. Maybe even that idiot Yammy.

As he sat, glowering at the fire the shinigami had made hoping that staring at it would somehow burn his train of thoughts, he felt someone watching him - that someone being no other than the shinigami. 

He didn't know what came over him, but he humored the other and mistakenly took his full name. 

He was about to reconsider his slip when the boy gave an irritated response. It made him smirk, pleased with himself for the reaction he got.

He realized the name didn't weigh heavily on his tongue like it did in his memory. He dismissed the thought of it being a mistake. 

Kurosaki Ichigo stared at him, noticing the slight crack in his character. 

Then, the boy was moving towards him, fear clearly lost. He clenched his jaw, this boy truly stopped at nothing to understand his enemy and his crack in character finally made the other approach him in close proximity. 

For the first time, Ulquiorra had shared his past. He didn't have any reason to, but they were alone and had nothing better to do. 

He simply had been missing a bit of his past self when he lacked emotions. 

Then, Ichigo had placed his hand over his back. 

The warmth of it electrified Ulquiorra. He tasted the others' soul throughout his entire being. The purity of it. The fiery passion that was aflame deep within the boy. The rich sweetness of his heart that he carried behind the cages of his ribs.

And for the first time ever, he felt hunger. 

To have rarely felt hunger before, Ulquiorra was all too ready to eat the shinigami before him. He had just opened his mouth, about to tell the other that his purpose right now was to eat him, when they were interrupted.

As they made their way towards Nnoitra, the emerald eyed espada had immense difficulty pushing down the hunger he was still feeling. 

He finally got his chance to think when the shingami left for Starrk and tried evaluating his situation to come up with a plan.

He looked around himself, watching Grimmjow and Nelliel speaking to each other about something, which was so odd considering how the blue haired espada did any "speaking" at all.

_Companionship._

Yes. He needed that. 

And, He also remembered the other way he could feed on the boys' soul. But, he wasn't so sure how could he get the other to do it with him. 

He decided that he may be able to coerce the other into doing it with him. 

There were no feelings or emotions involved in mating anyways. Nothing intimate. It was simply the need to release. The need to feed in his case.

He looked at the couple behind him again, who were still talking. 

Mating would mean he will be sharing his own energy too and he didn't know what the other would feel from his soul...

Ulquiorras' eyes widened as he came to the horrifying conclusion that he was contradicting himself. Sex wasn't supposed to be intimate, then why was he having such thoughts? 

He decided then, he will crush his urges and leave the shinigami to himself after this. 

Walking away wasn't hard. 

His persona was nothingness. He was meant to be this way. 

Then, he heard his name again.

Why was the shinigami calling out to him in such a desperate voice? Why won't he just leave him alone?

Ichigo answered those questions that Ulquiorra had already known the answers to, but stilled when the other suggested to do _anything_ for him to join them.

It was an opening that he couldn't let go to waste and moved towards the other. 

He had thought the red head would catch on to his intentions but when he didn't, he decided to take it a step further. 

Ulquiorra had never kissed before. Despite reading about it, he didn't know how to execute it. So, he just stared at the others' lips.

The look of realization that dawned on Ichigos' face gave Ulquiorras' ego such a massive boost, he was glad he had read all those sappy, romantic books that Gin had given him to understand human emotions more. They finally came to use now. He will surely look up some more so it will be easier to get the other to ease up to him.

He had contradicted himself several times now, but, for some reason, he was extremely pleased with the results of them and wanted to discover more. 

So, he followed the other.

They were greeted by chaos upon reaching Soul Society. 

Urahara was at their side within a second, "Thank you, Kurosaki. I will lead them from here."

"Wait, Urahara, did Yhwach appear?" Ichigo asked, worried he had missed out. 

"He did. The 0 division is fighting him now." The other responded grimly. 

"What about old man Genryuu..." 

"Dead." 

Ichigo felt as if the ground broke apart below his feet. No words could comprehend what he was feeling. 

"I could have-" 

"No. You couldn't have, Kurosaki." Urahara went Bankai, the majestic, beautiful form of his Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame materializing before them, then, "Your job is defeating Yhwach with Kuchiki. Also, Nelliel, right? Please let me fix your arrancar mask with my bankai." 

"You better just be fixin' her!" Grimmjow seethed at the former captain. 

Nelliel went close to the bankais' form and Benihimes' hand covered her for a few seconds before lifting away again. Her mask completely sewn shut. 

"Now, you can fight to your full power." 

"Thank you." She replied, grateful.

"Is that Nnoitra? Why is he like that?" 

"Dumbass had some mental breakdown. Think you can erase his memory?" The sexto espada didn't even try to hide his distaste for the quinto espada. 

"Captain Urahara, please don't do that! I will take care of him!" Nel interjected. 

"What is with you always trying to cover his ass? Did you forget what he did to you!?" Grimmjow yelled, dropping the espada on his back to the ground.

"Now, now... I won't erase his memory. I can only wake him up and take Nels' word of taking care of him. We are running out of time." 

They all nodded in agreement and the blue haired espada only looked away, grunting. 

Nnoitra awoke and started yelling obscenities but the minute he saw the majestic bankai before him, he paused. 

Urahara sealed away his bankai and approached him. 

"You have realized the new power that lives within you, didn't you?" Urahara stated and the tres espada broke into a grin, confirming his suspicions so the former captain continued, "You didn't find anyone worthy to fight in that form, but I assure you, you will surely be able to release it here."

"Kisuke! A sternritter is approaching here!" Yoruichi yells from somewhere above one of the seiriti builidings. 

"Ah! I will have to leave!" Urahara turns towards the group, "Fight whoever you believe you will be able to defeat. Good luck!" 

They watch as Kisuke joins Yoruichi and they disappear from their sight using shunpo.

Ichigo feels the reiatsu behind him disappear one by one. They all had left to find their opponents. He feels for Rukias' reiatsu and follows the trail. 

Nelliel and Nnoitra race towards a familiar but corrupted reiatsu. 

"Why are you following me?" Nnoitra barked at her as she followed him, falling in step with his sonido. 

"I will have to. That opponent is above your caliber." She answers him solemnly. 

"I don't need any saving!" He screams. 

Nelliel stays quiet. His voice just now sounded so distraught, so much more emotional than he was intending, but she knows he didn't sense it in him. 

They reach their location and face none other than the current tres espada, Tier Harribel.

Except that she is clearly not herself, her skin was the color of ash and her eyes were empty, as if she were dead for some time now.

She was a zombie. 

A girl crept behind her, hugging Harribel as she spoke, "Ooooh! Your friends are here! You will kill them for me, won't you?" 

The blonde espada immediately went into her final resurrección form. The Hogyoku glowing brightly within her chest. 

Nel looks at Nnoitra, who is also looking back at her. Understanding in both their eyes. 

She smiles and he looks away.

They were going to fight together and have eachothers' back.

Nnoitra doesn't want to make the same mistake twice. 

They both go into their final Resurrección forms, the hogyoku shining luminously within their chests.

Grimmjow had been distracted way before Urahara ordered them to find their own enemies. 

He could see a fight taking place away from where he stood and could tell the shinigami fighting them was losing.

Whoever the enemy was, it was very strong. 

Grimmjow licked his lips. He was thirsting for battle for so long. 

When he finally felt the shinigami fall, he showed himself to the enemy, immediately going for the kill.

His nails clanged loudly against the sternritters' body and he jumped back. 

"It's rude to charge like that without introducing yourself. I'm Cang Du. You are?" 

"None of your fucking business since you're going to die."

Ulquiorra came face to face with someone who was too proud of her powers of blowing things up. 

"Bambietta Basterbine! Sternritter E! The Explode! Have shinigamis fallen so far that they ask help from mere hollows like you?" She laughs boisterously, then shoots down a bomb at the espada. 

"That was easy." She says and is about to turn away when she feels a burst of reiatsu coming from the place of her explosion. 

She turns around, clearly dumbfounded at the heavy reiatsu that had now created showers of green falling from the sky.

"I am not a hollow." Ulquiorras' deep monotone voice reaches her ears. He decides to fight in his second release form, segunda etapa. A single flap of his wings clears the smoke around him as he flies up to her, a Lanza del Relámpago in his hand. 

She easily dodges it when he throws it towards her, but turns around in astonishment at the explosion that follows after it hit. 

"Who are you?" She says, narrowing her eyes, "I have finally found someone to fight in full power!" She grins.

"Ulquiorra Cifer. A Vasto Lorde." 

"Whatever that is!" She mocks as she goes full power in her Vollständig. A large amount of reishi orbs dropped from her wings towards the other. 

Ulquiorra dodges them, but the explosion that follow makes him realize he needs to be in his full form, which he does mid-air. 

"It's useless." She says as she fires the orbs again but this time they all get shattered. 

"What...?" She looks up to find not one, but a thousand Lanza del Relámpago aimed at her, their color turned from green to a pitch black. The Vasto Lorde was looking down at her, his form completely different from before. A green shiny orb was gleaming in his chest and she could feel the energy was completely foreign to her.

For the first time, the sternritter felt fear. 

She wouldn't be able to escape this.

Starrk followed the only reiatsu he was familiar with. 

Kyoraku had just defeated his enemy in his bankai form. He looked back immediately as he felt the familiar reiatsu. 

"Starrk?" He was more relieved than shocked.

"Yes. I'm alive, captain. I come here in peace, though." The primero answers in good nature.

"Where is that little girl who annoyed my friend last time?" 

"Ah... she's gone." 

"Oh..." Kyoraku gives the other a sad smile, then, "Just like me, huh? I lost my friend. The friend whom your little girl had tried fighting..." 

Starrk can only look away. He is able to give birth to another Lillynette again but he was too afraid to put her in risk again... on the other hand, Kyoraku can never bring his friend back to life. 

"My, my this is very depressing. Come with me, Starrk. There are many enemies to fight. We can talk later." 

"I agree." 

Both the men follow the trails of their new enemies. Already knowing they will be fighting together. 

Starrk looks at the other and smiles to himself. 

He will live this time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh Thank you so much for the Kudos ;AAAAA; And a special thanks to all the people who commented! I wish I could hug you guys for the comments you gave me!


	5. The War 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final battle!  
> Ulquiorra comes to several conclusions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will be VERY important for the development between Ulquiorra and Ichigo. Please do read it and tell me your thoughts!  
> As stated earlier in the tags, I have added analysis here and there of some of the previous arcs - do share your thoughts on them.  
> Please keep in mind I'm planning to keep it as close to the canon story as possible to give it a realistic feel to it, so there will be lots of development in the story as you have already seen and will see!

Ulquiorra had just defeated another sternritter when he felt Ichigos’ unmistakable reiatsu from above him in the skies somewhere.

He looked around and saw that other captains had arrived and were now engaging in the battles. He didn’t feel he was needed any further.

He faces upwards, expands his wings and leaps towards the skies.

As he reaches a higher altitude he feels another presence behind him.

He barely misses the bright arrow that was aimed at his head, twisting his body in the process of dodging it, facing his attacker.

It was the quincy, Ishida Uryuu. Ulquiorras’ eyes narrow when he notices that the clothing was very similar to the enemy he had defeated earlier.

“What do you think you’re doing, Ulquiorra!?” Uryuu calls out, furious and stressed, a charged arrow ready in his hands.

“You saw me defeat the enemy, what does that tell you? Or maybe, you are the enemy?”

“Why are you following Kurosakis’ reiatsu!?”

Just then, a huge wave of reiryoku hits them. Ichigo had gone bankai.

“I need to see his growth.” Ulquiorra answers.

“Don’t bullsh-“ Uryuu chokes on his words and Ulquiorras’ head snaps upwards in shock.

Ichigos’ reiatsu dropped.

Dropped sharply.

Without another word, both of them start racing towards the Soul Kings’ palace.

Upon arrival, Ulquiorra notes that a Shinigami, Kuchiki Rukia, was already at Ichigos’ side, healing him and another one, Renji Abarai, was looming over them with a tensed expression.

What caught Ulquiorras’ eyes then, was someone he didn’t expect to see in the battlefield.

Inoue Orihime.

The woman.

He watches as Uryuu tends to her, holding onto her and asking if she’s conscious.

Something “stirred” in him at that moment. She was the one who gave him his heart.

Now that she was right in front of him, his urges were on a dangerous brink.

Should he take her instead of Kurosaki? Even though his soul was incomparable, he felt the natural impulse to connect with her.

Then, he felt someone watching him and turned to face the confused-turned-realization face of Ichigo.

It was cute.

Distracted, he started walking towards him.

He leaned to inspect his body, then said, “If the enemy was able to defeat you despite your new found strength, he is indeed impossible to defeat.”

His friends glared at him.

“Ichigo will defeat him!” Rukia said, still glaring. Renji huffed and moved to pick the tangerine head, “Enough resting! I won’t let you be made fun of by a hollow!”

“I’m not a hollow.” The Cuatro espada answered, irritated.

“Wait!”

They all turn to face the voice. It was Uryuu.

He approaches the group with Orihime in his arms, who looks at Ichigo and says, “I’m so glad you’re okay, Kurosaki-kun… Sorry, I couldn’t fix your sword…”

Ulquiorra looks at Ichigo, confused. _He’s okay?_ He keeps looking at the boy but all he could see was despair in his brown eyes, that darkened even further at the mention of his sword. He then looks at his friends and they too, held anguished expressions.

Didn’t the woman claim to know the heart?

“You can’t defeat him without me. I am coming with you guys.”

“Uryuu!?” Ichigo looked at his friend, surprised. “So, you didn’t betray us afterall…” He smiles weakly.

“Ichigo! Hold this.” Rukia hands him his broken sword and the orange head looks at it ludicrously. “Tch! Ichigo, have you already given up? How many times have you faced death and have never given up? The Ichigo I knew overcame every single despair! Show Yhwach, that you overcame every single despair and will still do it!”

Then, Ulquiorra watches with unadulterated amusement as Ichigos’ lips break into the biggest grin he had ever seen on that boys’ face, his eyes brightening instantly, “You’re too loud! Stop yelling! I heard ya!” He half-yelled himself but she only smiled back.

 _What was this kind of emotion called?_ Ulquiorra wondered.

He kept wondering about it even after they were gone. Leaving Orihime in his care who said she’d join later when she is strong enough to heal herself. He had received some warning looks from Ishida but his mind was too occupied.

He had never seen such type of conversation take place before.

She was definitely saying things he needed to hear, but the look in Ichigos’ eyes told him they held more meaning.

“Is this your new form, Ulquiorra-kun?”

Pulled out of his thoughts, he turned to the voice. _She really hasn’t changed_ , he thinks as he remembers how he had reprimanded her for calling him that, yet she continued to do so.

“Yes.” Then, “Are you afraid, woman?”

“No…” she answers, just as she had before. “And! My name is not woman! It’s Orihime!” she pouts.

He remains silent.

Tears start forming in her eyes, “I was unable to do protect Kurosaki-kun…”

“It’s not like you did it before.” He states, looking straight into her eyes that looked back in shock.

“How… how can you say that?”

“I am only saying what I had seen back in Hueco Mundo.”

She quiets down then.

“My shield didn’t work… I thought I was finally by his side!”

He looks down at her, his gaze piercing, “Woman, have you ever thought about anything else? Wasn’t what happened in Hueco Mundo enough lesson for you to stop thinking about him in such a way?”

“What do you mean?” She is pulling herself up now, anger evident in her tone, “Kurosaki-kun saved me! It is only appropriate that I try to save him!”

“He saved you?” His voice drops low.

“Yes!”

The cuarto espada was astounded. Wasn’t she aware of what happened?

“He was about to annihilate you and your friend with his cero, and you still think he saved you? I would rather give credit to the quincy boy who protected you despite losing an arm and being stabbed by the one who supposedly "saved" you.” Ulquiorra didn't care if she didn't acknowledge that he saved them, but to completely disregard the person who actually protected her and was next to her? This was not the heart that he thought he knew of that woman. He had believed she would have come out of her fantasies by now.

“H-he… he turned that way… b-because… he wanted to save me…” She stuttered, looking away.

“It seems, despite how much you know of the heart, you are unaware of his.” He turned his back to her then, not being able to look at her the same way as before. “Heal yourself. We will leave for Soul Society.”

When they arrived, Ulquiorra was met with another surprise.

Urahara Kisuke and Aizen Sousuke fought side by side along with Kurosaki and his friends.

The world outside Hueco Mundo was truly different.

He watched as everyone struggled against one single enemy.

“I will be joining them!” He hears the woman say.

“Didn’t he defeat you earlier? Your shield is useless against him.” He warns.

“Ulquiorra.”

He looks to his side to find Ishida Uryuu standing next to him.

“I need your help. I’m glad you came down yourself.”

Uryuu tells him about their plan on how Aizen will corner Yhwach with Kyoka Suigetsu while Kisuke sets a spell that will trap him the moment he gets weak.

Ulquiorra and him will be responsible in getting him weak.

They both ready themselves as Aizen reveals he had Yhwach under his hypnosis, and then they aim their arrows, black and white, shooting it towards him.

The arrows land deep into his torso.

The enemys’ eyes widen in horror, his whole body went through a sudden relapse of power, Ichigos’ sword slays him half way through his body but in that moment, Yhwach blows a hole through the others’ stomach, rendering him unconscious. Rukia is quick to take hold of Ichigo and jump back. In that moment, everyone leaps away and Yhwach watches as a barrier is created around him.

“You!” He angrily bellows, “You think this mere kido can stop me!?” He punches the wall enclosing around him, only to find out it won’t budge.

Kisuke picks up the remnants of Yhwach – a compact black box with eerie eyes still moving around it.

“Well, I guess the war is over.”

Orihimes’ shield was unable to heal him.

He was taken to squad 4 to be treated.

“His condition is stable, but he hasn’t gained consciousness.” Unohana told the group of people who were waiting outside the operation room.

“You should go back to the human world. Staying here too long is not good for you, especially after that battle.” Yoruichi addresses Inoue, Chad and Uryuu.

"She’s right. I will lead you guys back. When Kurosaki gains consciousness, I will let you come back here. However, staying here too long with your powers may have an adverse effect when you go back to the human world.” Kisuke says, he then looks at Rukia and Renji, “You don’t have to worry about Kurosaki waking up alone.”

“What are the “adverse effects” that you speak of?” Chad asks.

“Your human bodies will disintegrate. They won’t be able to handle the reishi that is continuously feeding into your soul to enhance your powers.” He looks at Ishida, “It is a different case for you, correct?”

“Yes. I simply gained a new power, my real body will remain unaffected. I will still accompany my friends, though.” Uryuu says, pointedly looking at Inoue who smiles at him in gratitude.

When they’re gone. Rukia gets up. Renji tries to follow her but she shakes her head, signaling she needed time alone.

Once she was outside, she calls out into the darkness towards one of the trees, “You can come out, you know? You haven’t harmed anyone so far, so I know you are concerned for Ichigo just like us.”

Ulquiorra steps out of the shadows, he was back to his normal form. She walks towards him.

“Your friends except Starrk, have left. Why do you wish to stay?”

“I had a deal with Kurosaki Ichigo. Once he heals I will be following through with it.”

Rukia feels like asking for more details but she isn’t able to. Something about the way the espada addressed it seemed like it was only between Ichigo and him.

“Well, since you helped us in the battle, I can’t let you be out here. If you wish to stay for Ichigo, you can wait while staying in my brothers’ manor.”

“I am not interested.”

“Ichigo will be transferred to our home after his major injuries are healed. My brother wishes to thank him with our hospitality.”

That caught Ulquiorras’ interest.

“Thank him for what?” He asks.

She sighs, turning her head to look at the moon above them. A tiny smile graces her features.

“It’s going to be a long night. Lets’ move somewhere else.”

“This is the Sogyoku hill. No one will bother us here.” Rukia says as she moves closer towards the edge of the cliff, seating herself there. “You can sit too! No need to be so stiff.” She pats the empty space next to her.

When he seats himself, a nostalgic look takes over Rukias’ face as she keeps looking at the moon above them. He watches it too, getting reminded of the moon in Hueco Mundo.

“I will tell you about the time when Ichigo changed Soul Society.” Then she looks at the other, “The time when Ichigo saved me.”

As Ulquiorra hears her story, a completely different picture of Ichigo is painted in his mind.

Not only was it completely opposite of how Ichigo had saved 'the woman', it was also a completely different Ichigo in person. The Ichigo she was speaking of was a hero. Now he realized why the boy had turned his back on him, an enemy, when he had felt her reiatsu drop back in Hueco Mundo. His intuitions were correct back then, Ichigo didn’t have the woman in mind when he came there. He realized something else too - he was right about the woman, back then he didn't know why she acted that way, not healing the boy, always believing that he will win, calling out to his dead corpse rather than using her abilities to fight or heal him... the woman was acting out what she had seen in Soul Society. He suddenly started doubting the "heart" she kept speaking of. Then, when Rukia came around to telling him of their 17 months of separation and their reunion, his mind had finally come to answer the question he had in mind from what he had seen in the Soul Kings’ palace. 

Rukia had Ichigos’ heart.

This will complicate things.

“Will you mate with him?” He asks out of the blue, his curiosity getting the best of him.

Rukias’ mouth was agape, eyes popping out of her sockets, “Fool!” She shouts, hitting the arrancar as if they were casual friends. Her face had turned crimson. Then, a sad expression followed.

“I pulled Ichigo into this mess. I can’t take away more from him.”

“You’re lying.”

Silence.

She shuts her eyes tightly, looking away. There was something of _her_ story too.

He decides not to dig further.

It was enough that he knew she won’t interfere.

Ulquiorra was resting in one of the rooms of Kuchiki manor when he felt Ichigos’ reiatsu fluctuate.

He was next to Ichigo within seconds. No one seemed to have noticed that one second of reiatsu spark as no one was there.

“Ulqui…?” The orange heads’ eyelids barely lifted, he weakly lifted a finger and the cuarto espada took his whole hand, intertwining their fingers together without a second thought. “Tha..nk you…” he respired, squeezing the others’ hand. 

His emerald eyes moved to their intertwined hands and the revelations of the day went through his head. He couldn’t help but feel as if he was closer to Ichigo now that he knew more about him.

He tightened his hold slightly as the red head slept.

_The heart this time is growing._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Thanks a lot for the kudos and comments! They really encourage me greatly! I was a little late on updating due to my university starting but I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!  
> I wish to hug all of you for commenting and replying to me <33 Thank you!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byakuya, the secret wingman.  
> Ulquiorra learns more about human courtesy and the heart.  
> Ichigo, faced with a new challenge.

Ichigo gained consciousness within one and a half week.

It was a shocking feat since he basically had a hole blown through him but everyone considered it as one of the miracles that seem to be following Kurosaki around and dismissed it.

Little did they know, Ulquiorra was frequently visiting the boy in the death of the nights, sometimes Ichigo would be conscious and sometimes not, but the Cuarto Espada made sure he healed him bit by bit during his visits.

Having the power of instant regeneration, he would feed the boy his saliva by joining their mouths. He could have removed the bandages and licked the wound and then bandaged it back again but it was too much of a hassle.

However, he was found out by none other than Byakuya.

“Do you realize what you were doing, Espada?”

“I am simply healing him.”

“If it were anyone else to see you during the act, they would never believe such an excuse. However, I felt Kurosakis’ power rising within just a few days… so, it was your doing?”

“Indeed. And, what do you mean they wouldn’t believe me?”

“Don’t play dumb with me.”

Ulquiorra only stared back and Byakuya couldn’t believe he was about to have an intimate conversation with none other than an ex-enemy.

“You…” The 6th division captain couldn’t believe he paused. Feeling heat rise to his neck he cleared his throat and closed his eyes, “What you were doing, could be seen as a sign of affection.”

“What kind of affection?”

The captain continued with his eyes closed, “couples usually join lips to indicate affection or lust. It’s called kissing.”

“Kissing? Is what I was doing, really how you kiss?”

Byakuya thought he saw a spark of something akin to excitement in those large, brilliant green eyes, “Yes.”

“It seems I am making progress.”

The nobles’ eyes snapped wide open, “Progress?”

“Yes. I have a deal with Kurosaki and had a hint that humans do not mate directly but rather step by step. I had thought of kissing him but-“ The Espada stops, feeling a thick tension surrounding him.

“Mate with him? Did Kurosaki Ichigo consent to this?” Byakuyas’ tone was threatening.

“He will once I take him to Hueco Mundo.” Ulquiorra answered coolly.

“So by your words, he is still unaware.”

“Yes.”

There was a pregnant pause.

“Kurosaki will be a greater trouble to deal with if I kill you here, even if I were to tell him that you were sexually assaulting him. But, he is an unpredictable man so I cannot predict whether he will consent or not once you reveal your intentions, but I believe you do not wish to harm him so I will take my leave.”

“Sexual assault?”

“That is what everyone would assume since you are not acquainted with him like that, yet.”

“Do you have a library?”

Byakuya gave a short nod and the Espada followed.

Soon came the day when while he was passing on his saliva, Ichigo had gained consciousness.

Imagine his surprise to see Ulquiorra simply staring back at him… but why was he so close? He tried moving his lips to ask only to feel another soft, wet pair of thin lips over them…

_HUH!?_

He didn’t have the strength to completely push the espada away but he did manage to break the “healing”.

“What… what was that Ulquiorra!?” He hissed, feeling a pricking sensation around his waist for the first time during his consciousness.

The Cuarto Espada looked like he was in a daze but spoke up after a full three seconds, “My apologies for doing this without your consent. I was simply healing you.”

“Heal me?... Oh.” The tangerine head slowly looked down and touched where the hole should be. He gasped when he saw it was fully covered by pinkish scar, indicating new skin had already started forming over it. “H-how long did I take to recover?”

When the other answers him, Ichigos’ eyes widen with shock. That amount of time was impossible for such an mortal wound to heal! He looks at Ulquiorra then, who just stood and stared.

“Thank you… I-“

“ICHIGO!!”

They were interrupted as Rukia burst into the room and ran up to him with Renji following close behind. Toushiro, Matsumoto, Isane, Kira and Hisagi also followed. It seemed everyone had felt his reiatsu.

As everyone asked about his wellbeing and how quickly he had healed, he looked at his side where the Espada previously stood, seeing that he was gone, Ichigo decided to keep it a secret of who was behind this miracle.

At some time of the day, Ichigos’ other friends from the human world visited too. He was already feeling better after seeing all his friends were doing well.

Then he was alone again. He was asked to rest a little more since the skin around his wound reacted sensitively to movements.

He felt someones’ reiatsu just as he was about to sleep again and looked up to see Byakuya.

“Kurosaki Ichigo. I would like to invite you to finish your healing in my residence.” It wasn’t an invitation but more of an order from the noble and the red head smirked.

“Ha! If it’s because I heard ya back then, you do not need to pay me back for-“

“Very well. I shall take my leave. Even that Espada friend of yours wasn’t as stubborn.”

 _Ulquiorra is staying at Byakuyas’?! Just what the hell happened while I was asleep!?_ “H-hey! I’m coming dammit!” _I don’t like being alone here anyways._

Byakuya nodded and his servants came in with a stretcher, placing Ichigo on it. They left for the house.

Ichigo was glad he took up the offer.

He was placed on an extremely comfortable mattress and his wound was tended to with cool herbs. The medicine here was traditional, passed onto Kuchiki caretakers through generations. He instantly felt better. Later, he was served a delicious warm meal and some sake. The servant even asked if he needed assistance eating but like hell Ichigo would allow something so embarrassing!

As he put his head back to rest, he felt content. He could feel familiar reiatsu around him from the residence and it comforted him further. He was finally not alone.

His sleep didn’t last long, though. He felt someones’ presence and awoke.

“Ulquiorra…”

“Your wound will completely heal by tomorrow if you allow me.”

Ichigo thought back to what Ulquiorra was referring to and blushed slightly. He knew the other was healing him but… _but!! It felt like kissing!_

“I want to thank you for doing so much for me but… I am almost healed and these herbs are very effective… you don’t need to go so far for me…”

The Espada stood in silence for a while, then moved closer to the other.

“I hope you remember our deal.”

“… Yes.” Suddenly, the orange haired male felt nervous. He could feel cold sweat form in his palms as he waited for the other to continue.

“I don’t want to keep you in the dark, so I will tell you.” Piercing, green eyes held gazes with the soft, chocolate ones. “I wish to mate with you when we go to Hueco Mundo. It will be up to you to leave later if you do not find it pleasurable.”

“Wha…” Ichigo felt as if his breath was knocked out of his lungs. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears as he tried to swallow the weight of the request.

He wanted to instantly reject the idea, but the other side of his brain thought of how much Ulquiorra had contributed in the battle and his healing, and his promise too. Knowing the other, he is not the type to make promises but he went out of his way to do so for Ichigo.

The thing that baffled him the most though, was _why me?_

“Why me?”

“I hunger for your soul.”

Ichigo instantly flushed completely. He felt so stupid, _why is my body reacting like this!? He is clearly speaking about eating me, isn’t he!? But… why does he want to have sex instead!?_

“You’re red in the face again…” The Espada sat down, bringing his face closer to the others’.

The red head had no idea of how to react, he himself had zero experience in anything like this… he felt the other place a hand on his cheek and Ichigo reflexively relaxed into it. _Why is my body… acting so familiar with him? As if my soul has already experienced him this way…_

“May I kiss you?”

The question pulled Ichigo out of his thoughts and come to reality. He couldn’t find it in him to directly reject the other, but he shook his head, albeit very slowly. As Ulquiorra started to pull away, he was horrified to find out that his body was instantly _missing_ the others’ closeness and warmth. _What the fuck is wrong with me? Is it because of the healing he did!?_ He wanted to be angry but was unable to muster up the emotion… _What the hell is going on…_

“Well then, I will see you tomorrow.” The Espada leaves his room, unaware of how stranded the other was feeling.

Ichigo was unable to sleep that night. His room felt much too large now.

Ulquiorra was greeted by Byakuya outside Ichigos’ room.

“I see Kurosaki Ichigo has neither accepted you nor denied you.”

“Were you eavesdropping?” The Espada asks, bothered.

“I wasn’t. I just happened to pass by here as per my usual routine to walk around my premises.” Byakuyas’ eyes narrow then, “Do not force him into anything.”

“I do not wish to.” _Besides,_ Ulquiorra thinks _, I have already tasted the others’ soul plenty of times during my healing sessions… I am glad the boy rejected me. Who knows what would I have done if I actually felt his soul in his consciousness and full vigor._ He bites the inside of his cheek. _I will have to wait for him._

The noble nods. “Did the books in my library help you with understanding the philosophy of the human world?”

“Yes. Thank you.” Ulquiorra had actually studied every book he could find on humans. He also scanned rows to find anything related to sex and was glad to come across several guide books on wooing and a few on sexual pleasure. Despite his looks, the 6th division captain was quite the romantic.

They part ways after Byakuya gives a short nod of courtesy.

Two days pass.

Ichigo was able to stand without any support and had started walking around.

Then, he was called to the captains’ meeting.

He stood in the middle of the captains, feeling sadness over the missing and replaced captains on both sides.

The new head captain Kyoraku, after thanking Ichigo for his contribution in war told him what he was called for.

“Your reiatsu is alarmingly strong for the humans and will put them in danger as you will attract hollows to you. If you choose to live in the world of the living, we will have to seal your powers. If you choose to live in soul society, you will have to become the replacement of our soul king as you possess all 4 elements of different worlds. I will give you a week to decide.”

“Wait, what do you mean!? I can’t live normally as before? Why do I have to become the soul king when Urahara has already dealt with that power!?”

“It is a temporary measure and he did say he will come up with something, but we can’t be too sure. If you wish to live in soul society, you can but then your family will have to come here to meet you. Is that better for you?”

Ichigo had many reasons to be in soul society. But… what if Urahara really fails? What then? Sealing his powers was out of question too. He looks around to see the other captains had their heads lowered. No one looked him in the eye. 

Is this what he gets for protecting Soul Society? No one can even stand by his side?

“I will answer you within a week then.” He answers and walks out. As soon as he did and was sure he was out of sight, he started to shunpo to the Kuchiki manor, tears forming in his eyes and body threatening to break into sobs. Anyone. He just needed anyone to help him. To tell him this wasn't the end.

His feet led to the one reiatsu that was still familiar in the Kuchiki residence.

He slid the door open.

Ulquiorra was sitting with a book open on the small table in his room when he felt Ichigos’ reiatsu drawing closer.

His door was slid open with a loud bang and he stood up as the boy stormed in.

They both faced each other and upon taking notice of the boys’ reddened, wet eyes and cheeks and shaking body, he remembered what a book had taught him on what to do in these situations. It seemed words wouldn't reach the other. 

So, he drew closer to the boy and spread his arms.

Ichigo fell into them, hands fisting into the clothed chest, his body convulsing as a sob broke out and Ulquiorra held onto him, feeling the others’ hot breaths and tears on his neck and shoulder. He felt the other grow weaker with each sob as his knees were buckling and due to the height difference it was proving to be difficult to keep him upright. He dragged the boy with him to the floor so the other could lay his head on his chest and cry comfortably.

Ulquiorra couldn’t think of any reason behind the others’ emotions, but, as he ran his fingers through the others’ hair, he realized he genuinely felt sorry for Ichigo. He could feel the boys’ sadness throughout his being as the others’ heart beat hard but slow against his stomach, as if it was beating against the boys' ribs, willing to jump out of his chest.

Ichigo sighed softly as the Espada started massaging his skull, soon his red rimmed eyes started to close, his fists loosening around the cloth and his hands flattened over the chest.

As silence ensued once again, accompanied only by the others’ deep inhales and exhales with his heart finally beating at a normal pace. Ulquiorra held the other close by the waist, his other hand still tangled in the orange tufts.

He had never known he could ever feel this feeling, but he did.

He finally felt _whole_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for waiting! I was so busy but I missed my readers a lot!  
> If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask me!  
> Enjoy! Kudos and comments DEEPLY appreciated! I love you all!


	7. The Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ichigo and Ulquiorra find answers... in many ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A long chapter ahead for you guys as I will be updating this next month (around 4th or 5th) due to my exams! Please do comment and leave kudos! They encourage me greatly and I love hearing your thoughts.

Ichigo was dreaming.

He dreamt of when his mom died and he was powerless.

He dreamt of those seventeen months without power.

How he was fooled and cut down, his entire family and friends blaming him as the villain. The regret of not trusting Uryuu and acting sooner before Ginjo cut him down.

The sheer helplessness.

But then, Rukia had appeared and given him his powers again and he tore the skies apart, stopping the rain just as she had in his own world.

And then, he went to soul society shortly after and was helpless. How he was still helpless in this battle too. His name as the protector held no meaning anymore.

It was raining again.

He, who always defeated the enemy alone, the protector, was now in need of people by his side. Yet, no one came forward. No one tried to stand for him. Was Kyoraku much more cruel than Yamamoto?

He winced. He couldn’t get rid of the memories where he was completely powerless, because even with power, what did he come so far for? No way can he let them seal his powers. Being a soul king? Being all alone? Having his body cut into pieces? Having his family see him in that condition?

Was there no one to understand his pain? He knew Rukia did, but if he voiced this concern to her, she will break soul societys’ rules just for him! But then, what will happen if she is caught?

Will he be able to save her like before?

_Maybe… I should seal my pow-_

_Ichigo…_

His dream was disrupted when a voice called out his name. His eyes felt very heavy and stung when he tried opening them, reminding him his sleep was completely useless since his thoughts had taken over. However, thanks to that his nightmare was over and he could finally rest.

_It’s late… not eaten… wake up…_

He moaned and shook his head, hoping his disturber would get the idea and let him sleep. His bed felt too comfortable and warm. He spread out his legs to be more comfortable only for his knee to slip from his bed and hit the floor with a loud thud.

Today was simply not his day.

He tried shifting back into the sheets only for his ass to land on the floor.

“What the hell!?” He yelled and sat up straight with a jolt, looking down angrily at his… bed?

Only big, brilliant green eyes that were slightly dilated (he couldn’t ignore the big difference they made in the espadas’ face) stared back at him.

Ichigos’ mind then recollected the events of the day and he furiously blushed, immediately creating distance between them by moving away, but Ulquiorra was much faster than him as he found himself pinned on the floor, his wrists pressed down on either sides of his head and the others’ face hovering over him.

 _He’s strong. Very strong._ He thought, feeling the tight, hard body of Ulquiorra against him. He was unable to move.

The silence was heavy.

The late afternoon rays shined upon the others’ features, coloring his ash pale skin and giving his eyes a soft glow.

 _Beautiful…_ The red head thought, then remembered why he came to the other. He was the only one who seemed to be on his side.

“Why were you crying?” As if on cue, Ulquiorra followed up on his thoughts with his voice.

“Can… can you move away so I can tell you?” Ichigo tried his best to put on an angry look but they had been staring at each other for so long, it was difficult to put it on when the emotions were missing.

“I don’t see what’s the problem in speaking like this.” The espada said, his voice low as he pressed himself harder against the red head.

Ichigo gasped audibly, eyes widening, _I.. I can feel **that**!!_ _Is he planning on doing it now!?_

“W-wait, Ulquiorra! I can’t breathe!” The tangerines’ head was blaring with panic alarms as he squirmed desperately.

_Why am I acting like this if I’m not scared?_

As if the other had heard his thoughts, he lifted himself off completely, pulling Ichigo to his feet by his wrists. “Go get washed. I will ask for your meal to be prepared. We can talk then.” And with that, he left the room.

Ichigo felt guilty as his body washed over with the familiar feeling of loneliness. He didn’t mean to push the other way. Ulquiorra had comforted him, let him sleep on top of him for hours without moving and still didn’t force himself on him… neither got angry at his constant rejection…

Ichigo felt shitty.

As he stripped himself and dipped his body in the hot bath, he realized why he was reacting this way.

He had never known anything other than “protect” and “fight”. He never had the leisure to know his sexuality or experience a romantic relationship. Sure, he was interested in Rukia but he didn’t even know how to go past the stage of friendship.

When he came out of the bath, freshly clothed, he saw Ulquiorra was seated with a book on the table, his food placed on the opposite side.

He sat and started eating. After a few bites, he told the other about what had happened in the morning.

“The Gotei are truly trash.” Ulquiorra grunted. “Should we annihilate them?”

Ichigo spat his food, “What!? No! That is not possible! Not everyone is bad here, Ulquiorra!”

“Then, should we make haste for Hueco Mundo?”

The red head thought for a while, “That won’t be possible. They will label me a traitor and who knows how my family or friends will be affected.”

They both sat in silence.

“There are many mysteries to mating.” Ulquiorra looked at Ichigo with bright eyes, as if an idea had struck the espada, “Since they wish to make you a soul king due to the power you possess, what if one of them was unbalanced?”

“Unbalanced?”

“Yes. Your soul is pure. Extremely pure. The reason I wished to mate with you was so that I will able to taste it but it seems you are not just inexperienced but even your heart needs my protection.”

“Needs protection?” Ichigo asked, bewildered.

“You know it too. You don’t need to be ashamed of it.” Ulquiorra moved towards the other, holding him by the chin and drawing him close, so close that Ichigo could feel the others’ breath on his lips. “What I’m saying is… if we mate now until the day you tell them your decision, your soul will carry a part of me within you. It is highly likely that your soul will be too “tainted” for the standards of a soul king.”

“H-how do you know it will work?”

“He is right.”

They both looked at the source of the voice being none other than Byakuya.

“Pardon my intrusion.” The noble said as he came in, shutting the door behind him. “I am unable to ignore the injustice you are facing, Kurosaki Ichigo. What Cifer has deduced is completely correct. Your soul is at its’ peak according to them but they do not know of him healing you through his saliva. I don’t know how you haven’t realized it yet, but you both are already mated. If you go further and finish the mating process, it is highly likely that your soul will not be in perfect balance anymore and will be unfit for the soul king.”

Ichigo listened intently and realized the reason he felt so attached to the cuarto espada had been because of his healing! He was correct. _Did Ulquiorra know this?_ When he looked at the other, it seemed like even he himself had just realized it. It’s not like the other had ever mated with a soul reaper, afterall. The red head understood this.

“I will be handing you these.” The noble pulled out triangle shaped papers from his sleeve and placed them on the table. “These are extremely powerful spells handled by the Shihoin clan. They never came in my use but they will come in yours. Place them around the walls and no one will hear or feel your reiatsu outside this room. The last thing we need is someone overhearing your activities.” The captain turned and left the room, leaving an extremely embarrassed Ichigo and a satisfied Espada.

Ulquiorra was pleasantly surprised to know he was mated already.

Things did work differently in soul society.

But, he had already felt this hunch for a while now. He was passing on his saliva to heal him so he could mate him as soon as possible and so his intentions must have caused their souls to be joined. However, how the thought of just having sex to feed on the others’ soul had turned into something much deeper was completely out of his imagination.

He didn’t mind, though.

He finally had a heart. The heart he wished to protect.

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he reached for the arrows and started placing them around the room.

As soon as he was done, he didn’t waste any time picking up the surprised orange head bridal style and placing him on the mattress.

“A-are we-“ Ichigo stuttered and halted completely when he placed himself over the other.

“Look at me.” Ulquiorra used a gentle tone and held his breath as the others’ soft, caramel eyes met his. There were so many emotions dancing in the others’ eyes and the quick reddening of his cheeks and ears just made him look all the more endearing.

Oh, how he wished to devour him completely.

He placed his hands over those heated cheeks, stroking them softly with his thumb while the others’ eyes closed and relaxed into the sensation. Then, he slowly closed the short gap between their lips. Ichigos’ eyes flew open and Ulquiorra broke the lip lock, but then the others’ hands were brushing into his dark locks and pulling him in.

He smiled into the kiss because Ichigo was truly clueless and only joined their lips, nothing more. The espada slowly massaged his lips onto the others’ and he followed. It went on for a while before Ulquiorra pulled away, trailing his tongue on the others’ cheek and then rubbing it around the corners of his mouth, making the other gasp and turn to join their mouths again, their tongues meeting together heatedly.

Soon, moans and whimpers started leaving the others mouth as Ulquiorra had dragged his tongue from the others’ mouth to his his jaw and neck, lifting it away only to nip on his ears before going back to nibbling and sucking at every place on the others’ neck that made him make any kind of noise.

It was the most rich experience Ulquiorra ever had. He felt himself slowly losing his patience and his lust driving high as he shred the boys’ shihakshou without a sound and discarded his own clothes all the while sucking and licking around and inside of the others’ lips and mouth. He then descended further, licking the others’ nipples and Ichigo started gripping his hair and horn as he let out short, high pitched moans. He nipped some more as he kept descending further and the red head lifted himself on his elbows, watching him, his blush had spread from his face to his chest.

He met the others’ dark, hooded eyes with his own as he stroked his member, a hiss escaping the others’ mouth, he then rubbed the leaking tip with his thumb, massaging the liquid around it and Ichigo fell back with a moan, pushing into his hand.

Ulquiorra would have loved to taste him but his patience was dangerously running thin. The last thing he wanted was to tear into the other due to his lust. He had read the preparation methods and they take quite a while so he quickly licked his fingers, but Ichigo was looking at him with so much _hunger_ , his mouth agape as if asking for him, the espada was unable to ignore it and reached for him, kissing him deeply and tasting the others’ need. Ichigo whimpered softly into the others’ mouth while tightening his arms around him and Ulquiorra decided this was his favorite thing. The others’ legs had started to shake around his waist as his hips bucked upwards, his member brushing against the espadas’ ab lining.

He was begging for him.

Ulquiorra pulled away but Ichigo grabbed him again, “No… lube…” the boy spoke in between heaves, eyes barely open.

“I know that’s why- oh.” The emerald eyed arrancar was stopped mid-sentence when the other switched their positions, quickly taking hold of his throbbing member.

Ichigo looked at it for a few seconds while slowly pumping it, making the espada groan lowly, then he lowered his mouth near it, a shy tongue peaked out and licked the tip and it took all of Ulquiorras’ willpower to not thrust up into the others’ throat. His hands quickly reached out, grabbing the orange tufts when the other started to lick a pulsing vein along his length.

For a first timer, Ichigo was quite perceptive.

Then, when the orange head finally took his member inside his mouth, taking it in bit by bit, Ulquiorra hissed and gasped, the feeling was absolutely exhilarating. He was so glad he didn’t gobble the Shinigami. He didn’t want to, he tried his best but he held the others’ head in place as he thrust himself completely inside his mouth. He heard the other gag but it only seemed to excite the espada even further, as he pumped himself in long, slow motions into the others’ warm cavern.

Unbeknownst to him, Ichigo enjoyed it too. It was breathtaking to see that _he_ was able to do this to the expressionless espada who only spoke with his eyes. He didn’t even care when he started to run out of breath from the constant assault to his throat, his jaw had gone numb too. The view of Ulquiorras’ clenched teeth, hooded eyes with full blown pupils that swallowed Ichigo into them and the sound of heavy breaths accompanied by low groans was completely worth it.

Soon he was on his back again, he immediately wrapped his legs around the other as he lined himself along his entrance.

“Sorry. It will hurt a bit but I can’t wait anymore.” Ulquiorra said and Ichigo felt his heart skip several beats because **_Oh. My. God._** _How did he sound so sexy saying that_? His usual monotonous and clear voice was now hoarse, thick with desire. The raven haired arrancar then kissed him in full, while he entered a single finger into the boy, rubbing it around until Ichigo felt it rub against his prostate and yelped, inhaling sharply. Now that the other had found his spot, he slowly moved away, pulling the bottom lip with his teeth and letting it go with a soft _smack_ as he did so and entered a second finger for good measure.

Ichigo didn’t even know what he was doing anymore, one minute he was grasping at the others’ back, pulling him close and the next he was calling out the others’ name like a mantra while shamelessly rubbing himself against the others’ member, riding his fingers in the process. _Fuck it!_ Ulquiorra was sure taking his damn time for someone who said he can’t wait!

Then, he _felt it_ and his breath hitched as he was being stretched open. He whined as it was a bit more painful than he expected. Ulquiorra paused his entering and starting moving with less than half of his member inside the boy. He had no idea how grateful Ichigo was for this.

Ulquiorra was holding back every fiber of his being from just plowing into the red head without any concern.

Ichigo was irresistible. His orange bangs were pressed wet from the sweat on his forehead, his cheeks were stained red like his puffed up lips and his eyes were glossed with fervor. His whole body was convulsing from the waves of pleasure. He mewled with each thrust when the emerald eyed arrancar had not even entered the others’ heat completely.

The espada pushed himself entirely into the other while the others’ eyes were closed and Ichigo let out a cry, back arching off the mattress and Ulquiorra didn’t wait anymore as he mercilessly thrusted in and out of him. Ichigos’ eyes had rolled to the back of his head, a small trail of drool followed from the corner of his mouth. He smirked to himself, he was clearly hitting his prostate with precision.

Ulquiorra watched with amazement as the other came untouched, tightening around him while calling out his name in a broken moan. He had not even held the others’ member as it kept bouncing between their stomachs… but he still came just from that. It was an immense turn on and the arrancar came shortly after with a barely audible, breathy moan. He kept thrusting long and slow into the other, just letting himself feel the others’ spasms as he thrusted before coming down from his high. He pulled out and watched the swollen hole leaking his release… he wished he could do it again but Ichigo was barely conscious as his mouth remained agape while he panted, unmoving.

Ichigo had orgasmed not once but twice. He didn’t even see it coming and only realized his second orgasm after Ulquiorra had come inside him, his hot, thick spurts coating his walls. It was an incredibly erotic feeling especially when it was followed by the others’ low moan.

He couldn’t even move as he could still feel his body spasming from the orgasms and this _fucker_ was still thrusting into him, riding his own orgasm. Not like he minded.

He felt himself getting cleaned up shortly after the other had pulled out and he got up simply from the embarrassment, “You don’t need to do that! I-I can clean myself!”

“It’s done already.” Ulquiorra spoke in his usual monotone. Putting the towel away and getting into mattress. “Sleep.”

Ichigo was a bit taken aback but he could see the content look in the others’ eyes. He curled to the raven haireds’ side, arms snaking around his torso as he placed his head over his shoulder, immediately falling asleep.

Ulquiorra placed his hand over the others’ head while the other on the arm over him.

He was content.

He was glad, his aim in life had taken such a big step from following rules to finally being his own self. Being a protector and finding his aim himself.

His aim being his heart, Ichigo.

He definitely had the heart in his hands this time.


	8. The Heart 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uryuu finds out more about Orihime.  
> Ulquiorras' hunger. Ichigos' despair.  
> Kyoraku and Starrk - the sleepy buddies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I appreciate everyone who is enjoying my story, thank you so very much for the kudos and comments! I couldn't wait till 4th and decided to update early. I changed my tag to "mature" because I realized you use "explicit" only if your story has triggering/sensitive content or extreme sexual content. My story definitely contains smuts (I got you guys dw ;) ) but it is more story centric. Hope you enjoy this long chapter!

Back in the human world, Ichigos' friends were leading their lives normally when Rukia visited them, telling them about the options given to him.

“How could Soul Society do this?” Uryuu yelled angrily. Next to him, Orihime tensed up.

“I don’t think he will return here…” She said, playing with the hem of her shirt.

“We have to get him back!” Uryuu continues and Chad grunts in approval.

“There is no need for that. Nii-sama has already arranged something in secrecy to help Ichigo. He hasn’t even informed me about it.” Rukia folds her arms and smiles reassuringly.

“What if it doesn’t work!? Then what?” Uryuu pushed on.

“Then, we will just have to figure out something else. But Nii-sama was very sure of himself this time. I wouldn’t doubt him.” The raven-haired Shinigami stood by her words; her voice filled with confidence.

Orihime was walking home alone when Uryuu joined her.

“Kurosaki will return, don’t worry.” He assures her.

“I was very happy to see Ulquiorra alive back in the Soul Kings’ palace…” She answered instead.

Uryuus’ frown deepened; he still didn’t completely trust that Espada. He remained quiet, letting her continue.

“I didn’t know what to say to him. He was so much more stronger and he even helped defeating the enemy with you…”

“Don’t compare yourself, Inoue! Without you none of us would have healed so quickly. You helped many people!”

“I was unable to heal Kurosaki-kun.”

For some reason, Uryuu felt as if she was hiding something greater than that.

“He is alright now.”

“Before Ulquiorra-kun turned to ashes… he said he was interested in us… but when we were alone in the soul kings’ palace, he told me I didn’t understand Kurosaki-kuns’ heart!” She said as she started to cry.

Uryuu still had difficulty understanding where she was going with this, _that bastard was not wrong_ , he thought to himself, _Orihime has always chosen to see the Ichigo of her ideals, but! That doesn’t mean that idiot had to tell it to her on her face!_

“Then… he told me that he’d rather give credit to you, who has always been by my side.” She looked at the other, who stood frozen with his mouth slightly agape in disbelief.

“He said that?”

She nodded, “I’m sorry, Ishida-kun… You truly have been with me and accepted me the way I am… But I don’t know why I can’t leave Kurosaki-kun!” She sighs as more tears leave her eyes, “We both lost people and I feel as if I relate more to him!”

Uryuu pressed his lips together. _Should I tell her I lost someone too?_ He shakes his head, he was more surprised about the fact that Ulquiorra of all people acknowledged his support towards her… that espada was the one to protect them from being incinerated by a cero, after all. _I guess… I can’t hate him for his judgmental skills._ He pushes his glasses up, frustrated at how happy it made him that someone saw what he did.

“Did you like Ulquiorra?” He asks as the trauma plays before his eyes. He remembered the look in the espadas’ eyes and the sadness in Orihimes’ after he faded. He always wondered about it but never brought it up until today.

“… Not in _that_ way…”

“What was it, then?”

Orihime was quiet for a while. Her face looked troubled and this was the first time he couldn’t figure out what she was feeling.

“The thing is… you see… when Kurosaki-kun goes into that… hollow form of his… I am reminded of my brother.” She paused, not meeting Uryuus’ gaze, then, “I am not reflected in his eyes in that form.”

Uryuu waited patiently for her to continue, but when she didn’t and turned to meet his eyes, he understood perfectly.

It made him shiver.

“You were reflected in Ulquiorras’ eyes…” He was unable to continue as the understanding of her reason deepened, it made him want to hold the girl and shake her back and forth and tell her that this wasn’t what love meant, that this was clear evidence that her interest in Ichigo is nothing more than an infatuation.

“I understand.” Is all he says in the end. He knew his words will fall on deaf ears for now. He just wanted to see her happy. “Lets’ go have ice cream. My treat.” He smiles when she immediately brightens up.

“Yes! Ishida-kun, you’re the best!” She squeals and walks with a hop, mumbling to herself about how great chocolate ice cream and wasabi will taste or mango ice cream and ketchup.

Uryuu slipped his earphones on. He loved the girl, but her tastes were extremely questionable.

Ulquiorra woke up after a while when a sharp pang struck his stomach.

 _Hunger_.

It had increased gravely.

He moves the boys’ warm body away from himself while his sanity is still intact.

He curses his hollow instincts as he gets up, dressing himself quickly as he decides to leave for Hueco Mundo.

“Ulquiorra? Where are you going?”

A groggy voice stopped him in his tracks. He looks at the boy, gulping down the saliva filling his mouth. He was unable to answer.

The silence alarmed the other as he sat up quickly, “What’s wrong?” He asked.

“Hungry.” He answers in a hushed voice as he let his body move towards the boy, letting his instincts take over.

Ichigo instantly knew what the other meant.

His heart broke.

He had thought something must have changed in the other when they just had sex a few hours ago. It was so… _passionate_ , so _intense_. Ichigo could have never imagined his first time would be so _blissful_. He had never expected to experience it with a male either.

Ulquiorra had taken him, made him feel things he never knew he could feel. He had protected him, which no one, not even himself could do given the situation. He never held any grudge against him from their past... instead, he tried helping him with his situation. Even though, the Espada had told him it was to feed on the other - he had never felt so full of life before.

But, in the end, a hollow is a hollow. Whether it’s an espada or a vasto lorde.

He tried getting up, gasping when one of his legs went numb.

He was limp.

“Why did it have to be you?” He whispered more to himself than the other.

The Espada was close. Very close. His pupils were large slits, holding a predatory glare.

Tears welled up in his eyes as Ulquiorra crouched to his eye level, the coldness of his body seeping under his own skin, raising goosebumps over his body.

At that moment, all Ichigo could think about was how warm the other was last night.

He held out an arm and decided that he will call for help if the other bit into it.

His body went numb with fear when he remembered the spells placed around the room.

Ulquiorra bit into the flesh offered to him and Ichigo just watched as dark streaks of blood covered his arm and dripped to the floor, creating a pool of crimson.

He shut his eyes tightly, tears flowing freely from them as he waited for the entire arm to be torn in half.

It didn’t happen.

He slowly opened his eyes and was shocked at the sight of the other.

The Espadas’ eyes were lost. They were clearly not focused like before. His teeth remained sunken into the skin, but the entire atmosphere had changed.

Ichigo gave a nervous chuckle, “Have you snapped out of it?” His voice was shaky as he spoke but the other remained impassive. Then, he watched with horror as Ulquiorras’ reiatsu started to increase, creating a hot glow around his body which was burning him too. The Espadas’ horns grew, and hair turned white, four wings sprouted out of his back and Ichigo realized the other was going into his final form.

But how!? There was no burst of reiatsu, no call for the release of this form, the other did nothing to change like this.

He pulled his arm away and kept watching as Ulquiorras’ body started to grow. Ichigo knew the other was taller in this form but here he only seemed to be _growing_.

Then, Ulquiorras’ head snapped up, looking at Ichigo with so much _pain_ … the tear marks under the others’ eyes were black, thickening and… _flowing_?

“Ulqui…?” Ichigo felt a wave of panic as he shot out his arms and cradled the others’ face in his hands, thumbs rubbing the black tears that seemed to endlessly flow from the others’ eyes. His hands were covered in black as if he had dipped them in soot. “Wh-whats’ wrong!?” He shouted as he desperately tried to snap the other out of whatever he was going through. 

Kyoraku sat under the sakura trees with his friend, Starrk.

“Don’t you think what you’re doing with that substitute Shinigami is wrong?” Starrk asks, sipping on the sake offered to him.

“I can’t change the foundations of Soul Society. Even if I don’t consider that boy to be of any threat, as long as the central 46 exists, I cannot do much.” The head captain answered, tiredly.

“What do you think he’ll choose?”

“If his friends have not stepped in yet, he will surely choose the most self-sacrificial path.”

‘What do you mean?”

“Lend him a hand and he comes out stronger than ever. In the fight with Aizen, none of us could defeat him, but he did. A few words from Gin and a helping hand from his father was all he needed to defeat him.” A short pause, “If left alone, he can only think about giving himself up for the greater good.”

“Ah, he told me about Gin and Isshin too...”

Kyoraku laughed, “What an amusing kid. He shared everything with you so casually.”

“He is indeed amusing, but his reasons for sharing are much deeper than that.”

“How do you say that?”

Starrk was quiet for a while, searching for the right words, “Ichigo gives a piece of himself to others to understand them. However, this makes him immensely vulnerable. Seeing him this way makes me wonder, how much more will he give until he becomes empty? Don’t you think a person like him, who has continuously bared himself to everyone, needs someone to cover and protect him once a while?”

Kyoraku was rendered speechless.

The Espadas carried so much emotion, maybe even more so than soul reapers who are closer to humans. He and Jushiro had thought about how lonely Ichigo must be when he was powerless in the human world, but it never occurred to him that truthfully, no one understood that boy. Not even Rukia when she had put her fears and guilt first, refusing to visit him in the human world and only realizing her mistake when he got caught up with the fullbringers.

Kyorakus’ mind got filled with more thoughts as the weight of the others’ words kept dissolving in him. The boy was hailed as the protector, when in reality he was a child soldier. Just heading wherever they pointed and fighting battles that weren’t meant for him. Ichigo surely lived by protecting others and craved power for that reason, but that is only because without them, he was lonely, misunderstood and ignored. It was like losing his lifes’ purpose.

He sighed heavily, “Yare yare, I understand now why you prefer to sleep twenty-three hours a day. I guess I will nap too.”

Starrk just huffed, smiling faintly, “It’s twenty-two hours, captain.”

Ulquiorra tasted the delicious soul in his mouth, savoring it by not completely biting into it.

And then, he was standing in the rain.

He vaguely wondered where he was when he saw an orange mop of hair next to him.

Didn’t he just eat Ichigo?

He didn’t feel guilt thinking about it. He had wished to protect the other, but his hunger had gotten the best of him. He was an Espada, an evolved creation of hollow. This is to be expected of him.

He sat down next to the boy, for some reason Ichigo was much tinier here.

He realized it’s a child.

_Ichigo when he was younger, perhaps? But what is he doing here? How did he turn this way?_

The child looked at him, tears flowing from his eyes, “Mom… My mom is dead…” He cried.

“Are you… Ichigo Kurosaki?” Ulquiorra asked instead.

“Yes… please help my mom…” The little boy answered.

“Where is she?”

“There!” The boy pointed towards the river. There was indeed a body near it.

He was about to walk towards it when he felt the little boy hold his hand.

That is when all hell broke loose.

The boy started growing right before his eyes, the seasons started changing drastically in this world, there were rains, bright skies, floods and now it was drizzling.

And Ulquiorra felt every single moment of that boys’ life through it all.

He lived through the immense guilt, depression and pain the other went through. He felt the anguish and loss every single time the other lost. He felt the countless deaths and revivals Ichigo had gone through. He saw the hollow part of Zangetsu, who was the one that came out of him at the time of their fight to win in his stead. He heard the taunting of the Vasto Lorde that lived within the other, “If you fall, I will become king!”. He felt the crushing guilt and sense of failure when Ichigo had come to his senses and watched him turn to ashes. He felt the others’ heart fill with so much grief and shame that he couldn’t even look at his friends. He would have never known that it was after this fight, that Ichigo started to change. The pride he had in his powers, now felt like a burden.

Then he felt the loneliness and aimlessness of the other after he lost his powers.

Ulquiorra wanted to scream at the same time Ichigo screamed out of pure agony when his powers were stolen from him right after he gained them, and no one was there at his side. Then the skies brightened when his powers were returned by none other than Rukia.

Then, the calm and confidence when he got his true swords, his hollow finally forged into the sword and won't bother him anymore.

Then, it was raining much more heavily again when he got defeated by Yhwach. It was flooding.

He couldn’t take this anymore.

While he tried to let go of the childs’ hand, his vision got disrupted and he caught a glimpse of Ichigo at that moment, who was holding him, tears running down his face as he kept saying something.

This greatly moved Ulquiorra.

Even after he attempted to eat the other, _he still cries over me?_

_Why?_

The raven haired arrancar could feel his body trying to accompany his _Heart_. He could feel it trying to contain whatever it felt or else it will self-destruct. He willed his body to hold on. This was all happening because he had already mated – no, this was _bonding_ – he was bonded with the other. Eating a mate meant to carry all their memories within you… but Ulquiorra could _feel_ them too, which meant their connection went deeper than their bodies. _This must be due to Ichigos’ soul_ … he thought, _his heart is truly pure_.

He was back in the rainy world again and the memories continued until the point where he had sex with him – that’s when the rain cleared. It was sunny and he looked to his side to see the current Ichigo who looked at him and smiled brightly.

Ulquiorra didn’t have a physical heart but he did feel it skip a beat.

Because it was the same smile he gave that Shinigami, Rukia.

Then it was drizzling.

He pulled the boy in his arms and joined their lips. 

A soft, feathery touch of their lips that sealed a promise.

Ichigo felt the others’ hands over his own that held his face and gasped softly, “Ulquiorra!?”

“You are very troublesome, you know that?” The said male said as he reverted to his normal form, but for some reason, he looked a little bigger now. Maybe even taller. His hair seemed to have grown too.

“What had happened to you!?” Ichigo tried to focus on the more important things here than the espadas’ body changes.

The emerald eyed arrancar simply smiled, and it was unlike any of his other smiles. It was soft, full, and made his features look so much more attractive. Who knew Ulquiorra had **_DIMPLES_**!? Ichigos’ heart was doing somersaults in his chest as he kept ogling at the other.

“You’re staring.”

The red head was about to give a snarky comment but the other had pulled him into his lap, pressing wet kisses against his neck and jaw before pushing a hard kiss upon his lips that left him breathless.

“Where did I bite?” Ulquiorra asks while holding him and Ichigo felt as if he will faint any moment because he could _feel_ the changes in the other. He could tell something was different and the change was making him lose his mind.

“It… it’s healed… so… you don’t need to worry…” Ichigo said while avoiding the others’ eyes.

“I see.” Was the others’ short answer.

Then, he felt something soft and wet against his face – he was being licked which took him by surprise, “What the-“ he was about to push the other away when he realized Ulquiorra was licking near his eye. He was licking his tears clean.

“Y-you don’t have to, Ulqui! I-I’m fine!”

“Ulqui? I like that…” The raven haired espada hummed before he continued his licking to the other side of his cheeks and eyes.

Ichigo got a boner.

He tried his best to hide it, pushing his hips away to prevent his member from touching the other. No way was he going to get fucked again while he was still limp and birds were chirping outside signaling the early morning.

When Ulquiorra was done, he separated himself from the boy and went to lay on the mattress.

Ichigo didn’t want to admit it but he wished the other had noticed it, “are you going to sleep at this hour?”

“Yes. You should too, I will take care of that when you’re well rested and have eaten something.”

Ichigo flushed from head to toe and lay down with a huff, facing the wall as he yelled, “Don’t flatter yourself! As if I want you after you almost ate me!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder if my readers so far have noticed the amount of canon analysis I have added in my story...  
> Can you guess Ulquiorras' promise? 
> 
> Also, please stay safe everyone! Please take care of yourselves!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grimmjow and Nelliel finally take a step.  
> Ulquiorra and Ichigo go to Uraharas' hideout and have some fun!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't expect you guys to like my previous chapter so much! Your comments encouraged me greatly and I just HAD to update ASAP!! I feel very motivated when I hear from you guys. Thank you so much for the support <3
> 
> I would like to apologize to people who had asked me for bottom Ulqui. I tried to write it 4 or 5 times but it was absolutely disastrous. As you have noted, I have analyzed the original manga and their characters in DEPTH, so I apologize, I am unable to imagine him like that except with, maybe, Aizen? Ichigo is just a power bottom to me with his actual personality.  
> I have planned A LOT with UlquiIchi *winks* and I will make sure you guys get a complete story.

Grimmjow was sitting under the moon of Hueco Mundo.

He turned his head towards the approaching reiatsu of Nel. He was glad to see that the piano teeth bastard didn’t follow her.

“Did he do anything?” He asks when she approaches him.

“Nothing…” She looks at the moon and a small smile appears on her face, “Grimmjow, do you think the rebirth of the espadas has changed them?”

The said man didn’t know what to answer so, he said whatever was on his mind, “Only five of us made it… as you know the rest were all annihilated…”

“Did you know that Primera wasn’t the first to be reborn from the Hogyoku?”

The feline man only nods solemnly, “It was Ulquiorra. The only one reborn from the ones erased from existence.” He sighs, “And through him, our final forms accompanied by the Hogyoku activated… to think, he was the Primera all along. Yet, he refuses to take the role of the king just like the other Primera. They are such cowards.”

Nel sits down, resting her back against their home and the other follows, she places her hand on his head and he immediately lays it on her lap, “They are the most human, Grimmjow. Ulquiorra was highly favored by Aizen because he knew that Cuatro espada felt grateful to him for giving his life a purpose. Truthfully, we all felt as if we were supposed to be thankful to him for giving us these forms…” She brushes her fingers through the others’ cotton blue hair, and he purrs in satisfaction, “It seems, Ulquiorra sees Ichigo as the next person he needs to follow since he defeated Aizen.”

Grimmjow barks in laughter at that, “Oh no… you don’t know him, Nel. Ulquiorra… that bastard has always looked for a heart since he lacked one. He never wanted to follow through with Ichigo until he ran after him and probably begged him on his knees.” He shifts to look at the aqua haired woman in the eyes, “I hate to admit it, but Kurosaki has a way of getting people to like him. I think Ulquiorra has taken a liking to him.”

It was Nels’ turn to laugh now, “No way! Ulquiorra is even worse than Nnoitra in expressing his emotions! How will he make Ichigo realize his liking towards him?”

“I have no idea but it’s not like Kurosaki needs it anyways! That bastard figures out unspoken emotions easily. Fucking psychiatrist or something.”

She laughs again and all Grimmjow wishes is to always see her this way. He was unworthy of her affection with how she ranked much higher than him and never looked down on him or anyone.

She was the definition of a king, unlike him.

“Nnoitra has asked me to come see his fights. Will you accompany me?” She breaks into his thoughts and he grunts angrily.

“He is still trying to get ya. I won’t let him. We are not going!”

“He knows we are mated.”

Grimmjow sits up, shocked and slightly embarrassed, “I wasn’t aware that you could mate so easily in these forms… rest assured, I won’t touch you… u-unless you allow me, ofc-ourse” He blushed on his stutter and looked away.

“We should. If we do, we won’t need to feed on other hollows. We can simply have s-mmph!” A hand was placed over her mouth shushing her.

“D-DON’T YOU FEEL EMBARRASSED AT ALL SAYING THAT AS A LADY!?” He yelled as he felt his whole body heating up.

She only giggled in return. “My fraccion will be very happy to know that I’m finally grown up!”

He just heaves a sigh, picking her up and putting her over his shoulder as he entered their home. He placed her over the bed, and she wrapped her legs around him, pulling him in and connecting their mouths.

Ichigo woke up and found Ulquiorra already seated on the table with a book in hand.

He silently went to the bathroom, his throat too dry from the chaos that took place last night.

Dried blood streaks remained on his arm and his hands still looked like he dipped them in soot.

He washed it all off and was glad his limp was better.

Then, his mind wandered to their activities last night and he felt his face burn. _How was I acting so sex starved? I never even had sex before, yet my body was begging for it… AND I EVEN SUCKED HIS DICK! How did I do that!? it’s all because of that damn Ulquiorra and his mating!!... Although, it was all… very nice…_ He let his real emotions surface, _truthfully, that was the only time I felt free from everything around me…_

After indulging himself in these thoughts and coming to terms with it, he finally stepped out of the shower with fresh clothes on.

The first thing he noticed was the others’ body, _did Ulquiorras’ clothes become tighter?_ He was still lean, but the muscles were more prominent, and his shoulders seemed wider. His hair had definitely grown too.

His eyes then met with the man he was staring at the body of, “Um…” He tried to come up with something to politely address the changes. He had seen this last night too but thought it was something temporary due to his form changing.

“My body has grown because it tried containing your soul. There is nothing to worry about.” Ulquiorra said as he stood up and Ichigo realized the other was almost the same height as him.

The emerald eyed Espada only looked twice as more intimidating to him. He was dangerous enough being three inches shorter than him but now when he was almost at eye level with him, Ichigo felt like his legs would give out.

Not in fear, though.

The tailcoat was unbuttoned and showed off the others’ toned torso. Then, he looked down and snorted, which quickly turned into hysterical laughter while the other only stared at him.

“Ulquiorra… please! Please change your pants!” The orange head spoke in between fits of laughter.

The espadas’ pants ended on his knees and the black socked feet peering out of unfitting shoes only made it all the more comical.

“I do not want to wear the Shinigami clothes.” He grumbled in his usual monotone.

When Ichigo finally catches his breath, he asks, “Don’t your clothes change with your form? Why don’t you do that?”

“I don’t think the spells will be able to handle that much reiatsu. I need some place more secure and wide to turn into that form.”

“Let’s go then! But wear this white shihakshou at least! I’m not taking you out looking like that!”

“…Is it that bad?” The raven haired espada questioned as he looked over himself with curious eyes and Ichigo found it so cute, he smiled.

He held the others’ face and placed a gentle kiss over his nose.

“You… you look good… but the clothes are just ruining it…” He said dumbly when the other stayed aloof and nodded shortly before picking up the white shihakshou and wearing it over his espada uniform.

Ichigo offered him another pair of shoes but the espada refused, pointing down that his shihakshou covered his feet.

They left the room, and the orange head went to the kitchen to get something to eat before they headed out.

As he ate, he looked at the other who sat silently, his eyes focused on the garden outside.

“Ulquiorra.” The said man meets his gaze and Ichigo continues, “Are you… still hungry?”

The look that crossed the others’ face was an expression that he had never seen before. Worry? Guilt? Realization? He couldn’t name it.

“Your soul… satiated me last night. I do not hunger for it anymore.” The Espada answered earnestly, his face remained stoic.

“You know… I was very worried…” Ichigo held the others’ gaze as he scratched the back of his head “I thought you were hurting real bad with how your eyes kept pouring… black… like crude oil… I am just glad you’re okay.” He finished in an affectionate tone.

“I saw your inner world and I experienced your important memories after I tasted your soul. My body was not prepared for such extreme range of emotions; that might have been the reason behind my tears.” The other answered.

“Oh, I se- WHAT!?”

Ulquiorra watched in amusement as Ichigos’ eyes widened in horror when he realized what he had said.

The boy was quiet as he gazed at him and the espada wondered if perhaps the other was disappointed or if he felt violated for having such important events of his life being shown to him. Then he panicked a little as he thought, _what if Ichigo didn’t want me to have his heart?_

“Ulquiorra… thank you.”

Ichigo never failed to surprise him. He didn’t even need an explanation behind why the red head was thanking him; he knew too well now how the other worked.

He felt warm all over and he quickly stood up, “Let us leave if you are done.”

They silently made their way towards the hills.

“No one will disturb us here. It is one of the pervert hat and clogs’ places of training.” Ichigo said and Ulquiorra walked around, taking in the vast “hideout” that he would have never imagined existing under a hill.

“I will be starting, then. It is better if there is some distance between us.” He told the boy who nodded in understanding and moved far away.

Ulquiorra removed the shihakshou and willed for his first release.

There was a burst of energy and the ground beneath his feet capsized under his enormous reiatsu. His uniform covered his whole body, and he felt his wings sprout from the back. _Good_ , he thought as he flapped them and lifted himself off the ground, _no major changes have taken place_.

His eyes caught the small form of his tangerine boy. He could sense the others’ eyes on him. Another flap of his wings and he was right in front of him.

However, Ichigos’ eyes held doubt. His body was frozen but the Espada could tell the other was holding himself back from letting his thoughts take over.

He reached out a hand, stopping it near the others’ cheek, untouching, too cautious of the others’ reaction.

Ichigo was reminded of their fight when he watched the other transform.

His heart jumped in uncertainty and panic when Ulquiorra flew into the air. And, when the Espada was right before him, his mind started playing each scenario of how he will die. His body was frozen while his mind was running.

Then, the other was reaching for him and Ichigo waited for the inevitable. He didn’t have enough time to call himself foolish.

It felt like an eternity and the others’ hand never reached him.

 _That’s right…_ He thought as his mind finally calmed down, _those days are gone… he is… mine._

His body reacted before his mind did as he reached out for the other.

To Ulquiorras’ amazement, the other was the first to reach out and cup his face, pulling him into a passionate kiss. He groaned into the kiss when he felt the other slip his arms over his shoulders and his tongue pushing past his teeth to meet his own.

There was an excitement that Ulquiorra didn’t feel in their previous session. He held Ichigos’ body close to his own and ground his hips into the boys’ erection, earning a loud moan from him. His hands reached lower, groping his butt gently and was immensely pleased to feel the others’ body jolt, arms tightening around his neck as a gasped moan left his mouth which he drank eagerly.

He nibbled on Ichigos’ lips, licking them before pushing his tongue back inside the others’ mouth. He opened a single eye to look if there was some sort of support behind the other – there was. He pushed the orange head against the boulder, lifting his legs so the other could wrap them around his waist. Ulquiorra ground his hips with more force into the other and heard the other choke on his breath as he called out his name.

He didn’t wait any longer, he could sense how badly the other wanted him and it didn’t matter where they were. He willed his clothes away and undid the others’ hakama, pulling off his clothing all the while he licked and sucked on a sensitive spot on the others’ neck, hearing his mewls.

He held the others’ quivering thighs as he pushed himself into his heat and they moaned together at the contact. Ichigo wasn’t as tight since they were doing this less than a day later. He pulled himself out till the tip, hearing the others’ breath halt, then completely plunged into him while pressing his mouth against the others’, swallowing the shout of pleasure from him. Then, he started pounding into the other with abandon as Ichigo moaned into his neck in rhythm with his thrusts, his member rubbing roughly against his abs.

Ulquiorra noticed how the red head was much louder and more expressive this time around. One of his hands made their way to his nipple and gently squeezed it, making the other jerk against his body as he whimpered. He kept squeezing and rubbing it then, enjoying the high-pitched yelps that left the others’ mouth each time he did it.

Then, he felt the others’ release against his stomach and pounded harder into the other despite how he had tightened around him. It made Ichigo scream his name as he came inside him with a shaky sigh.

This time, they both kept moving against each other, milking out their spasms of pleasure.

Ichigo had never felt himself orgasm so strongly before.

He had orgasmed already but then a second one soon followed when the other came inside him while pushing against his sweet spot and he felt the orgasm ripping through his body.

It was unlike anything he had ever felt. It didn't happen this strongly in their previous session.

It was incredibly pleasurable, but he couldn’t ignore how it felt as if the others’ reiatsu had spread within him. It must be what Ulquiorra spoke about.

It felt divine.

When the raven haired espada pulled out of him, he heard his shaky moan, his hot breath tickling his ear while he weakly ground his hips against him, their spent members rubbing together.

Ichigo felt his heart flutter when the other placed a soft kiss on his lips before gently placing his legs back on the ground. He felt wet between his thighs and cringed inwardly when he realized it was their mixed releases. He needed a shower. 

“Can you walk?” Ulquiorra asked.

He tried moving and found there was only a slight pain and nothing else. He wasn’t limp. He looked at the other and nodded.

“There is a spring here so don’t get your clothes back on.” Ichigo said as he started walking slowly towards the destination of the springs.

“Do you know where it is?” The other asks and when he answers in affirmative, the emerald eyed espada moved in the blink of an eye and Ichigo found himself in the others’ arms.

“Tell me the directions.” Ulquiorra orders and the tangerine head didn’t feel like his protesting will do something, so he points to where it was. He watched as they were lifted off the ground with the flap of the others’ wings, then another flap and a strong wave of air hit his face and they were at the springs.

Ichigo gasped in awe at the others’ speed and the raven haired Espada smiled which in turn made him blush because he still wasn’t used to it.

Then, he was reminded of that rare smile last night, he wondered if he should tell him about it but decided against it, knowing the other, he will just do it often to make him flustered and it won’t be as special anymore.

As they relaxed into the hot, healing waters, Ichigo found himself staring at the other who had reverted to his normal form, their previous activities repeating in his head over and over again. The others’ broad shoulders and slightly wider hips had made him fit snugly against the others’ body. Not like he didn’t like his body before!

Ulquiorra met his eyes and he quickly looked away.

“You are always staring at me. Are you a pervert?” The other said and Ichigo flushed bright pink. It pissed him off how the other could say all this with his monotonous voice and stoic face and it still gets him all flustered.

“I was just looking at how weird you look, dumbass! How come your mask has not appeared yet!?” He retorted with a grin, thankful that his eyes had taken note of it in the last minute.

“I realized I can will it to go away when I revert to my normal self. I just recently felt it in me, and it happened.”

“Oh? Like, how I used to do with my mask before?”

“Something like that, but unlike you, I don’t need to make any foolish hand movements.”

“What do you mea-HEY!” Ichigo yelled as the other quickly submerged himself into the water before he could finish. Then, he felt a yank at his legs and found himself under the waters too.

They both emerged at the same time and the red head splashed the water furiously towards the other and then he stopped when he heard an unfamiliar sound, his eyes widening, mouth ajar in astonishment as he kept staring at the other.

Ulquiorra was giggling.

Ichigo found himself moving again without a thought, capturing the others’ mouth mid-giggle, savoring the reverberations of the sound between his lips before they ceased when he returned the kiss.

When the tangerine head pulled away, the other blinked at him, “Do you want to go for another round?”

“No!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to leave Kudos and comments!! Thank you so much for your support! Stay safe and well!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kisuke Urahara, ever vigilant.  
> Ulquiorra and Ichigos' appetence, ever growing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so happy to see comments in my previous chapter that I again updated ASAP! I hope you will enjoy it! Thanks so much for the Kudos too!  
> Thanks to my reader *FoxLuna*, who gave me an idea that I just NEEDED to add in the story so expect the next chapter to be filled with action!

They had finished their bath, dressed up and were just about to return when Ulquiorra suddenly looked up towards the entrance, “Someone is here.” He said shortly and Ichigo tried to sense who it was.

Hat and clogs was here!

_What is he doing here? Isn’t he supposed to be in the human world?_

He stayed behind the boulder and watched as the said man landed on the floor, looking around.

“Strange… the sensors definitely caught Kurosaki and an Espadas’ reiatsu here… where are they?” the scientist said out loud.

Then, the blonde scientist was right before them, “There you are.”

“We came to use the spring! Nothing weird happened!” Ichigo said anxiously.

“I don’t mind you coming here, but-“ He points his zankpakuto staff at Ulquiorra, “-What is he doing here with you?” He draws closer, “Why are you here at all? I haven’t heard of an espada staying behind except for Starrk.”

“He didn’t do-“ The red head was about to defend the espada when the person in question lifted a hand before his face to stop him.

“We are bonded.”

The silence that followed was filled with apprehension.

“Kurosaki.” His tone was questioning. Kisuke wanted an explanation.

“He is helping me.” Ichigo answered with honesty.

“Helping you? How?”

There was another silence as Ichigo didn’t trust the scientist will be happy to know he is having sex to escape his fate.

Also, because it is absolutely mind blowing.

“Ah…” Then Kisukes’ eyes narrowed, a mischievous glint in them, “I believe it was Cifer here to give you the idea, right?” When he was answered with a nod by the Espada, he continued, “Very clever. It is true. Then, before your soul is completely tainted, I will be taking some of your pure reiatsu.”

“What for?”

“To create the soul king.” Then, Urahara places his hand in front of the tangerine heads’ stomach, a glow of energy surrounded his hand. His brows knitted as he pulled it away. “Kurosaki, you will have to stay here for a while and let me get my equipment for extraction… Cifer, I wasn’t aware you were a Vasto Lorde. Your bonding is extremely strong in such a short time.”

“What do you mean?” Ichigo asked.

“Basically, Cifer has already tainted your soul – no, to put it precisely, your Shinigami and Quincy power have been overpowered. Very little of your pure soul remains. I will have to extract it as soon as possible.”

“Am I… am I turning hollow!?” The red head almost yelled in distress.

“No. Your powers have already been forged into your sword. Your powers will remain there. However, your hollow powers will be much stronger now. It may even change the appearance of your bankai. That’s all.”

Ichigo was shaking. He knew it wasn’t that bad, but he still felt like he was losing something. Then, he felt a hand placed over his own. Ulquiorra was looking at him as he held his hand, “That thing doesn’t live within you anymore. It will not control you. The only power you will have within you is mine. The rest of your powers will keep co-existing except they won’t be as strong as long as we are together.”

The tangerine head pressed his lips together. He nodded and Kisuke left to get his equipment.

Yoruichi looked over in surprise as Kisuke stepped out of the senkeimon. “There were no fights? The signals were going crazy here.”

There was a wide grin on the blonde scientists’ lips, “Oh no, something much better. I will finally be able to beat the Central 46 doubts about me creating a soul king who will keep the worlds in balance. I’m glad we finally caught Kurosakis’ reiatsu.”

“What do you mean? Won’t that kill the boy?” The purple haired woman asked.

“Luckily, he bonded with a Vasto Lorde! Can you imagine this guy, Yoruichi? And he’s a bottom!” The pervert shop owner squealed and snickered to himself as he got his stuff ready.

The cat woman smirked, “He always rejected Orihimes’ advances and never got a boner when I surprised him or when Matsumoto flaunted her breasts…” She laughs heartily, “We should have seen this coming. Him being a bottom? Hmmm… the Vasto Lorde must be great in sex so maybe that’s why he doesn’t bother shoving his massive pride in the way. The question is, how will he escape the sealing of his powers?”

“Oh, I think I can guess where Kurosaki will go after central 46 tries to seal his powers. He has a powerful lover at his side this time around, much like you and me, wouldn’t you say?” Kisuke winks at her and makes his way back through the senkeimon.

“Ulquiorra… you went through my memories, right?” Ichigo broke their silence once Urahara was gone. The said person nods, “When do you think… I was the strongest?”

Ulquiorra didn’t have to think twice, “I knew of this before having to see your memories, but your memories confirmed it – it was when you went to save that Shinigami and the other that I got to know from your memories is when you got Mugetsu to fight Aizen.” _But… your heart still ached fighting him_ … He thought to himself, _your heart is truly incredible, Ichigo._

“How did you know of it before?”

“The Shinigami told me…” Ulquiorra didn’t want to say her name. He could already imagine the look on the boys’ face and for some reason it was bothering him.

“Oh, Rukia?” 

And there it was. That smile and those bright eyes. The boy had smiled at him that way only in his inner world, but he had yet to achieve that in reality.

It made his blood boil.

_Jealousy._

He had the boys’ body and soul, but he had yet to achieve this.

“Ah, Ulquiorra, earlier you said we were bonded… I thought we mated. Is there a difference?” The tangerine head broke into his thoughts.

“Mating involves sex to feed and satiate ourselves on each other’s souls. Espadas do it to prevent themselves from feeding on other hollows. Meanwhile, bonding means we are connected by our souls. No matter how much sex we have, our power will not drain.” The raven haired espada said.

Ichigo smiled softly, his pools of amber carrying something foreign to him, he was unable to place his finger on such an emotion, “So it means… we will never be apart, right?”

“Yes, we are connected forever.” He answered the other and gauged the others’ reaction.

He still couldn’t tell what it was but the passion, the raw intensity in his eyes and his small smile were overwhelming him.

“Forever.” The tangerine head almost whispered. As if they were sharing a secret.

He leant forward then, kissing him. Ulquiorra felt as if a wall had broken between them because the kiss had just been a slight brush of their lips, but it had ignited a fire within the pit of his stomach, and he wanted _more_. It had not happened before, and the passion was ten folds stronger than what they had earlier.

“Maa~ Maa~ what have I come to? Please, get a room you two! After I take Kurosakis’ reiatsu of course.” Kisuke Urahara spoke in a lighthearted tone as he returned, making Ichigo jump a few feet away from Ulquiorra who remained unfazed.

“Byakuya had a soft spot after all!” The blonde scientist replied after Ichigo told him how they were hiding away from Soul Society. He was attaching wires to his body as they spoke.

The former captain was using various devices to purify the shinigamis’ reiatsu and save it in his data base. He looked at Ulquiorra, “He will be very weak after this process, so take care of him, ok?” However, the smile he threw at the other was anything but “caring” and the Espada remained as impassive as ever. Ichigo felt giddy all of a sudden. That side of the raven haired espada where he smiled or spoke more than two words was truly only reserved for him. He pondered over their previous conversation and realized he was extremely happy knowing he will remain with the other… he knew they both didn’t care about the deal anymore. Their kiss had proven it.

“This will hurt a bit, so just hold out until the shock ends.”

Ichigo didn’t have time to answer Kisuke when a sudden shock of pain stung through his body. He could hear himself scream from it but stopped when he felt severely lightheaded. His body felt light and when the shock ended, he felt extremely weak and his vision slowly faded.

“It’s finished. He will gain consciousness within a few hours, Cifer.” Urahara says as he packs up his equipment, “Also… thank you for taking care of our Ichigo… we have not really given credit to him as he deserved. So, I’m glad you are with him.” He starts to leave after nodding at the arrancar.

“You do not need to thank me for something all of you failed him at.” Ulquiorra spat as he remembered Ichigos’ memories. He had known Szayel and knew how these scientists’ minds worked. “None of you even bothered stopping him from getting in too deep with the fullbringers all because you wanted to see what new data you can gain from the situation. You used him as a lab rat.” He looks straight into Kisukes’ eyes, “He is a fool for worrying and helping trashes like you and the rest who have absolutely no idea of his heart.”

“Ho~” The ex-captain only smiled back, his eyes shaded by the hat, “I have to say, despite your looks you’re quite a romantic, eh~?”

Ulquiorra wanted to choke the scientist but held back, “I will be taking Kurosaki Ichigo far away from you trashes. Maybe then you will try finding another rat to play with.”

Urahara burst into laughter.

“Ha~ I am extremely happy for Kurosaki. I will have to applaud him for his choice too.” The scientist looked at the other with a grin, “Do take him away safely, Cifer.” He spoke in an unusual gentle tone, shocking the Cuatro Espada before using shunpo and disappearing from his sight.

The raven haired espada picked Ichigo up and was shocked at how light the other felt. He put him over his shoulder and left the hideout, using sonido and reaching their room within minutes.

He put him to bed and laid next to him after taking off his tailcoat. He never needed much sleep and their sex never tired him out to the point of sleep – he only did so because Ichigo did. So, he picks out a book and starts reading it.

It was late at night when the boy stirred awake.

And the room smelt so heavily of lust that Ulquiorra had difficulty keeping his senses in check.

Ichigo sat up and turned to look at him, his eyes heavy with desire.

 _So, this is what that scientist meant…_ The raven haired espada thought and before he could answer the others’ desire, the tangerine head was already on top of him, his shihakshou hanging off his shoulders, hakama out of sight. When did he undo it? Ulquiorra will never know.

The way Ichigo kissed him was nothing short of burning passion, sizzling his senses with heat he had never known. The boy had a hunger on his tongue, a thirst in his body so strong that it would have only made sense to the Espada if he had been away for years, even then the feeling was foreign because he had never bonded with anyone, only mated for the sake of power. There was longing in the others’ friction against his sex, followed by desperate mewls as he licked and bit around his neck, a plea to end his suffering. He grabbed the other by his orange tufts and moaned softly when he bit around a sensitive spot in his neck. He hissed at the pleasure he felt when the boy dragged his tongue to his hollow hole, licking it experimentally at first but boldly after hearing him.

He pulled the other up into another searing make out session, that had them both rutting against each other, desperately trying to reach their climax, unable to peel away from one another for the emerald eyed espada to at least take off his hakama… he didn’t even have the time or conscience to think how much it displeased him that he could will them away only during his transformations.

They both came, groaning into each other’s mouths, the tangerine heads’ loud whimper indicated his displeasure of releasing this way and he was quick to move away and undo the espadas’ hakama, his hands shaky with fervor.

Ulquiorra watched, licking his lips and holding himself back from just bending the other over and taking him. He liked seeing this side of him.

Ichigo was done pulling the others’ annoying clothing away that had both of their releases on it, disappointed how the others’ cum had gone to waste when it could have been inside him. He immediately dipped his face between the others’ legs, licking his balls and sucking them each when he heard the others’ gasps and groans.

_More._

He then took his length in his mouth entirely but didn’t move. Staring into the others’ dark eyes, challenging him. He gave a single lick to his tip and stopped, watching the others’ brows knit in dissatisfaction, his dark locks sticking to his face due to the heat they were sharing.

Then, the other grabbed his head and moved him onto his shaft, getting rougher with each push and pull, letting out moans of appreciation every time Ichigo licked against it occasionally and the orange head loved every second of it.

Ulquiorra felt himself getting close to his climax and tried pulling the others’ head away but he remained, fingers digging into his hips, looking at him with so much hunger that if it wasn’t for his dark gold pools staring back at him, he would have thought the other wanted to eat him.

 _Eat him…_ and then it hit the Espada. Ichigo hungered for his reiatsu due to his weakened state. He will probably never feel the need to eat food again if his body gets satiated from his reiatsu. 

He thrusted into the others’ mouth with more force and came with a shuddery moan, watching the other whose eyes had rolled back, a groan leaving his mouth as he tried to swallow all of his release with fail as some of it had spilled.

The emerald eyed espada had enough and pulled him away, quickly flipping the other over his stomach, taking off the shihakshou, and encircling his arm around the others’ waist, pulling his hips up so he was supported on his knees, then he held him by the hips, biting the soft flesh of his butt cheeks before he licked his hole, hearing the other moan heavily into the sheets, his hand shooting down to touch himself but Ulquiorra quickly took hold of it, pulling it away as he continued dragging his tongue between the others’ hole and balls in short intervals, making the boy tremble and push his hips back as he whined and let out keening moans.

He pulled away, inserting himself into the other, forgetting that they had been in the healing springs earlier which meant Ichigos’ body had returned to his previous state; thanks to the others’ saliva and his spill, he was lubed enough to slip into him without much trouble and as soon as he was deep till the hilt, the tangerine head started moving his hips, clearly frustrated at the lack of friction and Ulquiorra stopped his movements by gripping his hips to keep him in place before he thrusted in and out of him in short, quick successions.

Ichigos’ body was on fire.

Especially after he got that glorious taste of the others’ reiatsu through his mouth, his body had only begged for more, erupting all over with _greed_.

He pushed back in time with the others’ thrusts, toes curling at the sensation of his sweet spot being rubbed repeatedly. When he felt himself getting close, he realized he will never be able to go back from this. He wanted this. He needed _him_. He was unable to imagine himself going back to normal when this was the only time, he felt alive and normal in ages.

He let out a wanton moan when the other wrapped his hand around his member, jerking it in time with his thrusts and Ichigo clawed through the cover, thighs quivering and knees shaking so hard, he knew he’d fall if he came and clenched his teeth, _not yet_ , he told himself as he shut his eyes, tears and drool dripping on the sheets.

“Are you holding yourself back?” Hummed Ulquiorra in his sultry, thick voice. Then, he was screaming into the covers when the other angled his hips and directly hit against his prostate and Ichigo felt like his eyes will roll all the way to the back of his head as his climax came dangerously close to the brink. _Just a bit more… hold on_ …

His body convulsed strongly as he finally came, screeching the others’ name as he came inside him perfectly in time with his orgasm, there was nothing more erotic than feeling his ass filled with the others’ release. His legs gave away the minute he felt the others’ reiatsu spread through him, finally killing the unfamiliar hunger he had felt, and it was just _so good_. He felt the other pull out and drop next to him, his eyes shut, face partially covered by his hair as he panted, his neck and chest glistening with sweat.

He gulped. The other was way too fucking attractive for his own good.

“I should have just fucked you than fight you.” Ichigo blurted out through his parched mouth and watched the other slowly open his eyes that reminded him of fresh, spring grass, looking at him before he let out a short giggle.

“Yes, but this is better.”

“Yeah.” He would have kissed the other, but his body was numb, faintly aware of the mess between his legs or the wet spot under his cheek, he was only awake through will power alone. He kept looking at the other and felt like he had finally found his place with someone. He smiled at Ulquiorra, contented. _This is enough._

He must have made some kind of a face, because the other leant forward and kissed him gently over his lips.

His eyes were unable to open again after the other drew away, “Will you take a shower with me in the morning?” He asked lazily, remembering the dramas where couples held each other under the showers and deciding he wanted that.

“Yes.” Ulquiorra answered, and he felt the other place his hand over his cheek before he succumbed to slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! I've never written such a long smut in my life jahskadkahdj i hope you guys enjoyed it! Please let me know through Kudos and comments if you enjoyed it and thank youu!! 
> 
> Take care and stay safe!


	11. Central 46? It's Central Bitches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lovers exposed,  
> Powers revealed,  
> And souls rejoice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the Kudos and comments! 
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter!

“Are you sure?” Shunsui asked.

“Yes. My reports have two witnesses from my special unit. There is an Espada still living in soul society without our knowledge and was carrying the body of the substitute Shinigami, Ichigo Kurosaki and his reiatsu was barely detectable if it was not for his hair.” Soi Fon stated.

“Did you see where he was going?” The head captain questioned.

“Unfortunately, we lost sight of them after they entered the gates of Soul Society.”

“I see. Byakuya, you had them rest in your home, correct?”

“Yes.” The noble answered without any hesitation.

“Are they still there?”

“If your special forces were unable to track their presence, how would I be able to? I was not aware of their leave.”

“I see. If any of you see them, bring them to me.” Shunsui ordered.

Byakuya made his way back, tensed.

Did he miscalculate the Espadas’ intentions for Ichigo?

_No. That can’t be._

He started feeling the slow buildup of dread in his guts as he imagined Kurosaki sucked dry of his reiatsu. Gone. All because he gave those spells so the boy could save himself from his cruel fate but now it will lead it to his doom.

He opened the door to their room and the smell of sex was so strong, he felt stupid for worrying about them at all. No one was in the room, but he could hear noises from the bath on the other side of the room, surprised that Ichigo was able to make such uncharacteristic noises. He shut their door, smirking to himself as he thought about the cocky brat being dominated. He wasn’t even surprised. It was about time for the boy to finally find his sanctuary, someone he could be dependent on. He also understood that the tangerine head saw the Espada powerful enough to protect him. Something that boy never allowed.

“What should we do?”

Ichigo asked when Byakuya told them about the emergency meeting in the morning.

“You will have to face them. Escaping is not an option as your fate may only get worse from there. Once they know you are useless to them, they will let you go.” _I hope…_ The noble bites the inside of his cheek, concerned. He knew how unforgiving the Central 46 were. His comfort was in knowing the boy before him always cheated death somehow. He has witnessed how Ichigo always finds a way to come back stronger. He also had an extremely powerful ally on his side this time.

The orange head nods in understanding and turns to Cifer, both their eyes meet, and they nod shortly together.

Byakuya noticed how the Espada held a softer gaze when looking at the other. It was almost mechanical, how his face and demeanor would change entirely within the second his gaze would leave the others’. He felt… happy for Kurosaki. He knew his sister was interested in the boy but they both were self-sacrificial idiots. And, with the Central 46 constantly wary of Kurosaki and his powers, things couldn’t have turned out any better.

“Thank you, Byakuya. For everything.” Kurosaki said, a grateful smile graced his features as he got up and started leaving with the Espada.

The noble only nodded. _I had a lot to thank you for too, Ichigo._

As they were on their way, Ichigo caught sight of Rukia.

He approached her and they started talking.

“Oh, Ulquiorra was still here? Did you know the Gotei 13 had-“

“Yeah, yeah… we are on our way there. Hopefully, I will not be qualified for the soul king and escape them.”

“Oh! I remember Nii-sama told me about it. So, what was the secret?” She wiggled her eyebrows at the tangerine head playfully.

Ichigo blushed and Rukias’ face held a confused look. He looked at Ulquiorra who looked back and then they both kept staring at her, hoping she will get the idea.

But Ichigo and Rukia were both peas of a pod when it came to things like this, “U-um… did I say something wrong?” The raven-haired Shinigami asked nervously.

“There you are traitor!”

They both whipped their heads around to see who it was and Ulquiorra was caught off-guard when he felt a metal click on his neck.

_Sekkiseki. *_

He grits his teeth in anger as he tried to move away from the short woman but was caught by her special force.

“What are you doing!?” Ichigo yelled at Soi Fon as he tried to reach for the other but soon, other captains arrived at the scene.

“Shut up! I was always against you and the way you changed Soul Society, Ichigo Kurosaki! And to think you were taking a stride with an enemy!” She reached for the boy with cuff in hands, but he dodged her.

“Now, now Soi Fon. Let the central 46 handle them both. You don’t need to be so rough. Kurosaki will oblige, isn’t it?” Shinji said, looking at the said person.

“I refuse. Let Ulquiorra go and then we will decide whether I oblige or not!” The tangerine head retorted furiously.

Then, he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked down to see Rukia looking at him, _I will come for you if anything goes wrong._ her eyes said, and then she turned to Soi Fon, “captain, you can do as you please when they both have at least been judged by the Central 46.”

The short captain was about to reply when Shunsui interrupted, “Indeed. Let’s go there.”

As they all were on their way, Ichigo felt dreadful.

His heart was heavy as the doors of Central 46 opened and all captains – including Byakuya – were there. None of them looked his way.

He couldn’t bring himself to turn and look at Ulquiorra, he didn’t believe his instincts to hold themselves in place if he saw the other.

“We have brought the substitute Shinigami, Kurosaki Ichigo and the Espada, Ulquiorra Cifer for your judgement.” Shunsui spoke grimly at the men behind the wooden slates.

“We do not care for the hollow, kill him if he has served his purpose and make haste with Kurosaki Ichigos’ crystallization process! Don’t you know how important it is to keep the world in balance? We can’t trust the traitor Kisuke for the job to be done! We have to say, you have failed us as the head Shinigami, Kyoraku!” They barked; their faces were hidden but their ugly voices grated against everyones’ ears.

“What!? How dare you!? Ulquiorra served in the war! He played the biggest part in defeating Yhwach! How could you?” Ichigo screamed in rage at the top of his lungs, his tone filled with anguish.

“Shut up, boy! You are nothing but an experiment of Aizen! You can make yourself worthy by- “

“No! I can’t! My soul is not fit for the Soul King!”

Everyone in the room went silent.

“Don’t lie to us!”

“I am not lying!” He growled in fury.

“Shut your filthy snouts already! we do not need to start a barking contest here between two dogs. I will check Kurosakis’ reiatsu and we can come to a conclusion.” Mayuri offered and approached the said boy with a device in hand, he placed it near the boys’ abdomen.

The atmosphere in the room was stifling and filled with apprehension as everyone awaited the results.

“Hmm~ how interesting.” Mayuri smiles as he looks back at the wooden boards above them. “It is as the boy says. He is not fit for it.”

Loud gasps erupted in the room and everyone started shouting for an explanation.

“How did this happen, Ichigo?” Shunsui asked, facing the boy. His face was unreadable and Ichigo gulped.

It was going to be revealed one way or another anyways.

“I have bonded with Ulquiorra.”

More gasps and shifting broke out in the room. The head captains' eyebrows rose, a lazy smirk made their way to the corner of his lips. A loud laughter from Kenpachi could be heard in between the chaos. From somewhere in the crowd he heard Renji screaming about how he can’t believe Ichigo was having sex while he had yet to get laid despite being older than him. He could also hear Matsumoto squealing about a threesome and Rose saying something about how he had taste. Shinji yelled at him about how he thought they were lovers and he cheated on him. 

He shut his eyes, not expecting such a… lively reaction. It actually made him feel better somehow.

Ichigo decided to take this distraction as a chance and free Ulquiorra from the sekkseki collar.

However, as soon as he made a move, he was pushed to the ground by the special corps captain, “I won’t let you.” She spat harshly.

“Kill the hollow! Kill him! He is responsible for dirtying the soul king!” The people behind the wooden boards seethed and screamed.

Ichigo watched in horror as two special corps forces appeared in the air, aiming for Ulquiorras’ head.

His eyes met briefly with the emerald eyes that were looking at him, his face to everyone would be unreadable, expressionless, but his eyes held an intense murderous intent. He could easily tell the raven haired espada was prepared for this and will annihilate them with a close range cero.

But then he saw Rukia run towards them, and his heart thumped in panic, she will be caught in the crossfire.

**“BAN-KAI!”**

_“Say, Zangetsu. King seems awfully happy nowadays don’chya think?”_

_The older male looked below at the menacing looking hollow from the sky scarper he stood on, “hnn.”_

_“How does it feel to know I am the most dominant power here now? I finally am above ya in Kings’ favor.”_

_Zangetsu only stared ahead at the bright skies as he answered, “Anything that keeps away the rain.”_

_The hollow smiled, not the shit eating grin it usually wore – it was genuine – creepy, but genuine._

_“Gotta agree with ya on that one. We both have done our best to protect him but I guess we won’t hav’ta worry about that for a while.”_

_Zangetsu inhaled deeply, **may despair never reach you again, Ichigo.**_

The entire central 46 divisions’ roof blew into smithereens as the heavy burst of reiryoku exploded around them, it sent everyone flying as the walls of central 46 gave away, crumbling from the brutal power.

When the energy finally calmed down after what seemed like ages, everyone looked up to see what happened and were astounded at what they found.

Bright, hip length orange locks with black streaks at either sides of his head flew with the direction of the wind, the black shihakshou had red fur around its’ cuffs and collar. Four angry red wings stood proud on his back, looking nothing like the wings of any animal but of a creature unknown. A single horn pointed out threateningly towards the skies and black lines and crosses covered his chest and hands. His eyes held pools of red, no remnant of his caramel pools remained. He held black swords with red knit hilts.

A single swing of his black blade cleared all the smoke and debris in the area.

He vanished and then reappeared behind the raven haired Espada, who called for his release – Segunda Etapa – the minute the collar was sliced.

Before the onlookers could react and stop them, they were hit with another suffocating, deathly and ominous reiatsu that rained from the skies.

“What incredible power…” Isane wheezed, unable to breathe.

A maniacal laughter was heard and Kenpachis’ voice bellowed through all the commotion, “This is perfect! Let’s have a fight to death!”

“When did Kurosaki gain such power?” Rose asked Shinji who stood next to him on shaky legs, dusting off his clothes.

“Didn’t ya hear Kurosaki? He’s been fuckin’ around with the esp- no, that’s clearly a Vasto lorde. I really didn’t expect Ichigo to get laid with an enemy but then…” Shinji sighed, “that is so like him.” He finished, a crooked smile on his face.

“I have some work to do after this. Do we have a video camera in soul society?” Lisa fixed her glasses then bent down, picking up the yaoi manga that fell from her sleeve and put it back in place.

“Kurosaki… you never fail to give us trouble.” Toshiro grumbled.

“Ichigo…” Rukia whispered, a smile tugged on her lips as she felt the others’ confidence. She remembered how much Ichigo had hated his hollow powers and how he accepted it since all his powers were co-existing equally. And now he was closer to hollow than his Shinigami and Quincy powers, yet he stood proud. _Are you the reason behind this, Ulquiorra?_ She smiled wider; _I hope you will continue making him happy_. Her heart tugged painfully at her, but there was nothing more important than seeing the other happy.

“He will be alright.” Byakuya said on que with her thoughts, getting her attention. “He has found his place.” And she nodded.

“I agree, Nii-sama.”

*Sekkseki - Spirit Reducing Stone


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kisuke Urahara, the problem solver of the worlds.  
> Shunsui Kyoraku, realizing.  
> Uryuu Ishida, always loving.  
> Ulquiorra and Ichigo, connected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the Kudos and comments!

As the chaos was clearing, a senkeimon opened in the skies.

“Maa~ maa~ we always arrive at the perfect moments, eh, Yoruichi?”

Shunsui smiled widely when a familiar voice reached his ears. “Took you long enough, former captain.”

“Oh~ are the Central 46 dead?” Kisuke asked in a lighthearted tone as he looked upon the destruction before him, and just then Yoruichi appeared before him after looking over the area.

“They’re dead but a few had survived.” She smirked, “I finished them off.”

“Why?” The head captain looked surprised, but his voice remained stable.

“You are enough to make decisions. How long will we let them destroy and ruin more lives? Ichigo has done enough for us. The central 46 should have never come back.” Kisuke lifted his face and the suns’ rays shone over his face, making his determined eyes visible, “You brought them back only because you think Yamaji would have done the same, but did you think about what Jushiro would have wanted?”

“Don’t take his name so lightly.” Shunsui retorted in a low, threatening tone.

“We both know what he would have done. I might not be the oldest in the Gotei like you both and Unohana were, but-” He gave a small, knowing smile, “- I’m sure Genryuusai wouldn’t want you to carry on his past burdens simply because you feel indebted to him. He always wanted us all to be happy after all.”

Kyorakus’ eyes widened then, how could he forget the most crucial detail? How could he forget all that Yamaji did for them to be able to be happy and grow strong? He had thought of them as his sons. Not as people who would carry on his past burdens if he is gone… that is what made them who they were.

“The special security will come after us from the royal realm. If there wasn’t a generation of them, we would have easily gotten rid of them but if Aizen couldn’t, how can we?” He asked then, not wanting to take any risks.

“Nothing we can’t handle. We will make them listen to our conditions if they still want to be the ones to cast judgement upon us.” Kisuke replied.

Kyoraku thought over this and nodded. It was the most perfect decision they could come to.

“Do you have it?” He asked.

“It is not complete yet, but I can convince the central 46 that it will activate within a week. Then we can safely put it in the soul palace.”

He smiled at the former blonde captain, “Your work is always appreciated, Kisuke Urahara.”

He used shunpo then and appeared before the couple, Ulquiorra lashed out with his Lanza del Relámpago which the head captain dodged, “I am here to help you. I have nothing against both of you.”

“Trash liars.” The raven haired espada swung his weapon again, cutting through the captains’ sleeve.

“Trust me, you don’t want to start another war here, Espada.”

“Let’s hear him out, Ulquiorra.” Ichigo said and the said man stopped.

“You will have to leave, Cifer. I promise you Ichigos’ safety. If you stay here, they will repeat the process all over again. He will return to you within a week. We have a plan in hand which will not fail.” Shunsui spoke calmly and the Espada turned to look at Ichigo.

“Ulquiorra will stay with me.” Ichigo insisted.

“Kurosaki, we will tell the central 46 of my invention that will act exactly as the Soul King and will never need any replacement neither can it be destroyed. It is similar to the Hogyoku.” The blond scientist explained, “They will ask for a guarantee and we will keep you until it activates next week. Cifer will have to leave so we can tell them we killed him after he caused all this mess.” He smiled at the frowning boy, “It will guarantee your safety.”

“But-” The tangerine head looked at Ulquiorra who only gave a short nod of acceptance. He sighed, “Alright, but what about Mayuri?”

“I will handle him.” Shunsui smiled reassuringly.

Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck as he looked at emerald eyed espada again, “So… I’ll join you in a week. If anything happens, you will know. We are connected after all, aren’t we?”

The espadas’ tail swished around slowly as he nodded and came closer, despite his eyes being midnight green with dark, electric yellow slits, Ichigo could see the expectant look in them.

“I will be expecting you.”

“It’s not like I can go back to the world of the living. I was dead from the age of fifteen.” The orange head smiled at the other, “Don’t worry. I will return to you.”

Shunsui raised his eyebrows at that, “You knew?”

Ichigo nodded. “I realized it when I lost my powers. I had no soul chain. Urahara had cut it and yet…” He sighed heavily, “Everyone just likes to hide stuff from me, I guess. That’s also one of the reasons why I didn’t feel like I belonged to the world of the living after I lost my powers. I was living a lie. That’s why I doubted Urahara when Ginjo questioned me about him.” He looked at Shunsui with a serious look, “I was living there simply to be with my family and as to not alarm them, but I guess they won’t have a problem visiting me here. You can arrange something for that, can’t you, Kyoraku?”

The said man nodded, “Soul tickets.”

Ichigo looked at Ulquiorra then, “My only place remains with you, Ulquiorra. I will surely come to you.”

Ulquiorra watched the other make that face again, his eyes would become soft crescents and at that moment, he would be reflected in the others’ irises. The others’ smile would be small, but it always overwhelmed him.

 _Oh…_ The raven haired espada came to a realization then, _so… this look… this emotion is for me alone…_ He clamped down on the smile that threatened to break on his face from the happiness he never imagined feeling and grabbed the others’ face, kissing him deeply, completely dismissing the fact that they were around everyone. Ichigos’ eyes were wide, and his cheeks were reddening by the second, but he soon returned the kiss, his hands intertwining with the others’.

_The heart is in my hands._

Ulquiorra tore away from the other and didn’t waste any time opening a garganta, he knew if he stayed any longer, he will be more reluctant to leave his heart behind. He stepped through it without looking back.

“Did you see that… Ishida-kun…”

Unbeknownst to them, Kisuke had arrived with Ichigos’ friends who watched the whole ordeal from afar.

Chad, Uryuu and Orihime were standing near the fallen debris of the building.

The bespectacled man nodded, looking at her from the side of his view. As usual, she wore a smile on her face but it was more broken than anything. It was as if they were back at the Sogyoku hill where Ichigo and Byakuya had their fateful fight and she had stood there, shaking and watching, talking about how important Rukia was to Ichigo with that sad smile on her face.

“They… I mean, they probably just did it as good friends, right? I mean, I’m sure Kurosaki-kun liked girls…”

“It is as you see, Inoue. They kissed.”

“Ah, I will ask Rukia-san! She probably knows about this more than me! After all, she is closest to Kurosaki-kun!” The ginger womans’ eyes roamed around frantically. Ishida simply waited like he always did. His words will not reach her, but that will change soon.

He was shocked when he saw what had happened before him, but that’s exactly how he knew Ichigo. The man never discriminated. He never held past grudges. He knew how Ichigo carried his scars and burden all alone. Not wanting anyone to be hurt. Not wanting anyone to protect him. Then, the time came when his soul was broken for the very first time by Ginjo, all because the time when he needed to be protected the most, no one did it for him. Ishida still wishes he had healed himself earlier to save the other but it was too late.

Who knew Kurosaki Ichigo would finally be protected and cared for by none other than a former enemy?

He felt emotional.

Chads’ comforting, large, warm hand land on his shoulder, “He’s happy.”

Uryuu snorted, “He is, huh?” and blinked away his tears.

Turning his head, he saw Orihime talking to Rukia. He knew the face he was going to see once she would return.

And Uryuu will be there to wipe away her tears and hold her. Give her the attention and love that the person she admired never gave to her. Give her everything that she truly deserves.

The next few days were filled with Ichigo, Urahara and Shunsui negotiating to the next set of elders who were going to be behind those boards in central 46 in soul society.

They wasted no time in reaching out to them themselves before anyone else could leak information that could change their course of action.

They were finally able to convince a set of elders who convinced the other elders. Shunsui promised them to seal Ichigos’ power after the stone that Urahara created will activate.

Of course, that will be cue for Ichigo to leave for Hueco Mundo in secrecy through Uraharas’ help.

During this time, when nightfall would come, the tangerine head would try his best from touching himself from the thoughts of his soulmate, and each night he’d fail.

The more he forced his brain from not indulging into the lewd thoughts, the more powerful those thoughts and emotions would come back to him. Ulquiorras’ voice, moans, groans and sighs would echo in his ears. Every taut muscle, every vein in the others’ throbbing member, the hole in his chest and the taste of his release, his tongue could still feel and taste them all. The stretching, the drilling and the roll of his hips when he’d be inside him, the slim, strong fingers that would dig into his hair and make him submit to him, the hooded, green eyes… _fuck_ , those eyes held depth that he was sure he’d be swallowed by if he stared long enough into them, the _tongue_ … that _deft_ tongue that went places he’d have never imagined it would and made him feel like his lungs would collapse any moment if the other wouldn’t stop… and the lips and teeth that turned him into mush before he’d be ruthlessly fucked into the mattress.

He bit into his pillow from making any noise when he came within a few minutes of stroking himself, his feet rubbing against the covers.

He couldn’t wait to be in his lovers’ arms again.

Ulquiorras’ talon-ed feet landed on the soft, cool sands of Hueco Mundo.

_Home._

For some reason, he didn’t feel like reverting to his normal form. He looked at his hands that Ichigo had held before his departure. If he reverted, the scent and feel of the others’ soft hands on his clawed ones will leave him too.

“That was a very fancy entrance for someone like you.”

He turned his head towards the voice of Grimmjow who stood not too far away. He sighed inwardly. He was already missing the peace of his and his soulmates’ room in Soul Society.

“I had no choice.” He answered shortly.

“You smell so different. I thought you came with Kurosaki with how his scent is all over y-“ the blue haired male choked on his own words as he realized what he was saying, “No way.” His cerulean eyes were wide with an accusatory glare. “Did you _fuck_ him?”

Ulquiorra would have grabbed the other by his throat and thrown him into the nearest hole filled with menos grande, but held himself back. The other was known for his indecent language.

“We are bound by our souls. We are soulmates.”

There was a short silence that followed and then a boisterous laughter broke out from the others’ mouth.

“Do you know that’s just a legend? And there is no way you both-“ He continued laughing as he approached closer to him, “- **enemies** who fought to **death** could be soulma-“ he abruptly stopped when he was close enough and could see the height increase in Ulquiorra. That is not what surprised him though, but the reiatsu itself felt like it had enriched. It felt like Kurosakis’ fiery soul was living within the other.

“Wow.” Was all he could say after that.

“Yes.”

“How?”

“I underestimated his compassion. I slept just once with him and he opened his heart to me. He was in the most vulnerable state when I bit him.” He paused, “The rest is complicated, but I promised to keep his heart safe and the bonding happened.”

Grimmjow was staring at the other as if he had grown another head.

Ulquiorra simply looked away.

“Me and Grimmjow are going to be soulmates too!” Nelliel huffed from somewhere behind them.

“Yes! I was thinking the same! We can’t let Kurosaki be the only one to have this connection!” Grimmjow said with a grin on his face. He was going to beat that berry!

“We both must become Vasto Lorde in order to do it! Let’s start training, Grimmjow!” Nel yelled with her hands in the air and the other did the same.

Both the couples kept cheering each other on, unaware of the third persons’ disappearance.

Ulquiorra took off into the skies, leaving the couple to themselves.

He will have to fix a room before Ichigo arrives. Las Noches may have been destroyed but he was sure he could fix up his room and make a bigger bed from the resources left behind. His body heated up at thoughts of what he’d do to the other once he returns. After all, he was home and there was nothing holding him back anymore. He will make sure the other will taste what he is truly capable of. He imagined those molten chocolate eyes, the reddened, swollen lips that would scream and call out for him, the others’ soft, burning hot skin against his, slender, shaky legs tightening around his waist, and his favorite part – when the others’ arms would tighten around him, the whimpers and moans were already ringing in his ears.

He heaved a sigh, as if trying to breathe out those mental images. Flying with a hard-on was embarrassing and he refused to feel that emotion. He shut down his train of thoughts and focused on the job at hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know through comments or Kudos whether you enjoyed my story so far!  
> Also remember I added all analysis directly from BLEACH in my stories so all credit goes to Kubo!
> 
> Until next time! Love you guys!


	13. Connected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emotions realized and relationships are sealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was looonnnnggg overdue but I was so busy!!  
> I tried my best to give my readers a fulfilling ending. I really want to thank all of you for your comments and Kudos! Thank you for supporting my story!  
> I have written 2 more ulquiichi stories! So do check them out!
> 
> Enjoy the chapter <3

The day came when the Soul King replacement stone activated and before anyone could be informed of it, Urahara quickly opened up a garganta away from soul societys’ grounds and in his underground hideout.

Ichigos’ long hair didn’t leave despite him reverting to his normal form and he had tied it into a half ponytail. Learning how to do Yuzus’ hair when she was younger did pay off in the end.

For the first time, Ichigo was nervous as he stood before the open garganta. He really hoped he won’t be lost and could find the other easily.

The minute he stepped out of the garganta into the vast, sandy dunes of Hueco Mundo, he was scooped up into strong arms and carried through the air.

“Ulquiorra!” Ichigo was happier than astonished as his eyes laid upon the others’ face, his cheeks hurt with how wide he was smiling. The other looked at him and smiled that rare smile, and he instinctively reached out and touched his face, fingers tracing the dip of the dimples in the others’ cheeks and the curve of his lips.

He missed him so much.

“Welcome, Ichigo.” The other spoke against his fingers as they landed somewhere, and he guessed it was Las Noches. He was still being carried bridal style by the raven haired espada through the hallways of the broken castle, but he didn’t mind.

He kept staring at the others’ face as they entered a stone walled room and was placed on a comfortable bed filled with pillows.

“Do you wish to rest?” Ulquiorra asked but Ichigo was thinking about how this was going to be their room for the rest of his life. He had scheduled monthly visits with his family and friends at either Kukakus’ place wherever she may be or at Uraharas’ hideouts. He had received a phone and a laptop that could work in Hueco Mundo to keep in touch with them and the outside world, all from the courtesy of Urahara (Ichigo, of course, wrote down his dads’ name for the payments).

The rest will be spent with his soulmate before him.

The tangerine head simply pulled the other into his arms, nuzzling his face against the others’ neck, breathing in his scent – musk, citrus, and earth. He ran his hands from the others’ silky hair to his back and over his wings, feeling the muscles tense and the wings twitch under his fingertips.

“Kiss me.” Ichigo whispered against the others’ neck and felt the body shift away, a hand reaching up to grasp the soft, orange locks from the back of his head, making him look up into those midnight green eyes with electric yellow slits that had dilated. Then, Ulquiorra placed his knee between his legs on the bed, leaning down so their faces were a mere inch apart, the ends of his long, black hair brushed against the base of his neck, making him shiver with anticipation.

“If you insist.” The other had said, his voice in between a growl and his usual monotone before their mouths collided and their tongues clashed heatedly.

The tangerine head moaned out loud in yearning into the others’ mouth as he was pushed down on the bed, clothes torn away without a thought and legs spreading to accompany the other who settled between them. He heard the other let out a breathy moan as his warm body met against his burning one. Their hands roamed over each other’s bodies, re-igniting the memories their bodies carried within them and then the world was forgotten around them.

Ulquiorra had been surveying the area when the week ended, his already sharp senses more alert than ever.

He kept thinking back to their memories and how much had changed between them, and now that he thinks about it, he had reached out to that woman because, Ichigo showed immense compassion upon his injury and death, but the words that left the others’ mouth betrayed his true feelings, that was the first time the boy betrayed his heart. While the woman gave him the taste of how truly contradictory humans are of what is in their hearts; the boy made him realize the true power of the heart until that fateful moment. While she was only truthful when she spoke of not fearing him, he was true to his heart every single time until he saw the damage he had caused because of that very heart.

And thinking of how much they had progressed so far, how much they had changed each other made him feel all fuzzy inside.

He clenched his teeth, he still feared his own heart from feeling things, but it was impossible at this point.

He sensed the other before he even stepped foot into Hueco Mundo and immediately flew to the area.

He scooped him up easily in his arms and the other smiled at him so brightly, it would have put the sun to shame. His eyes twinkled as he smiled and Ulquiorra found himself smiling out of pure adoration for the other.

He wanted nothing more than to spend eternity with him.

Ichigo smelt wonderful – cinnamon, nutmeg, and musk. His long hair added to his attractiveness too.

When the other started touching him, he made sure he didn’t make a single sound and let the other feel him, Ichigo became bold whenever he found a sensitive spot in his body and he didn’t want to give in as easily. However, his attempt to remain still had failed when his wings turned out to be his sensitive area too and he twitched.

Then, he was all over the other on his command.

Ichigos’ legs shivered to the point they had gone numb and Ulquiorra had to keep his legs spread by holding his thighs.

His hands were bound above his head by the others’ tail coiled around them and he was currently a sweaty and gasping mess. He could feel cum smeared between his legs and flowing down his ass from the others’ release. _Multiple_ releases that made Ichigo lose his voice and breath. Not to mention, for some reason Ulquiorra was _bigger_ in this form and he was being stretched like nothing before. The reiatsu was twice as strong too every time the other came, ripping deliciously through his entire body and blinding him for a good few minutes. It was a surprise he was still conscious somehow.

Or maybe it was because he was being withheld from coming.

Each time he got close, the other would wrap and press his thumb and two fingers under and around his weeping members’ tip, preventing him from coming. And his entire body would writhe and arch off the bed as he struggled to form words and beg the other to let him come. But Ulquiorra would hold his legs in place along with his arms and simply lean down to shove his hot, wet tongue down Ichigos’ dry mouth and make out with him until he’d calm down, saliva trickling down his chin and cheeks, before the other would start pounding into him again, looking straight into his eyes as he did so, keeping him pinned simply from his gaze. And all Ichigo could do was take it while his body felt like it was going to combust from the heat any moment.

Before this treatment, Ulquiorra had licked his member like a lollipop, licking it all with the tip of his tongue before his lips wrapped only around the head, licking the leaking tip so teasingly it had Ichigo exploding into the others’ mouth, who swallowed it all with ease. It made him slightly embarrassed. Then the other was coming up, nipping, and licking along the way; he nibbled and sucked around his neck and shoulders, leaving love bites which had Ichigo yelping and hyperventilating.

He was kissed then, so hard, and so good he didn’t want their mouths to part, what was air anyway to lovers who had been apart?

Currently, he wasn’t even being given the chance to take enough air into his lungs before he’d get his ass pounded and prostate abused for perhaps the seventh or eighth time. He had lost count of how long the other was going at it and he assumed it was because of his form that he had so much strength left in him. Ichigo had to admit, Ulquiorra knew how to constantly keep him on edge, as his member stayed erect and hard the whole time, but that was turning into torture with how it had started to ache from the prolonged denial of coming.

Ulquiorra had come yet again, grunting lowly as he drained himself into the other who mewled weakly, legs twitching.

The drive behind his high? When Ichigo kept calling out his name while caressing his wings when he was thrusting into the other, and it switched something inside him. Something sadistic and animal. He could feel the weight his name carried on the others’ tongue and the constant touching only pushed him over. His tail had whipped out and wrapped around the others’ wrists as he started moving again after their first round, not holding back.

He never missed anything like he missed the tangerine head under him. He didn’t realize how bad he had been craving for him, all of him, until now. His pelvis carried a dull ache as he kept moving into the other for no idea how long, but he couldn’t help it. He never felt so needy and possessive of anyone in his life. Ichigo was his heart, the heart he was interested in before his death, the heart he wished to taste when he came back and the heart he wished to protect if it meant he was going to spend the rest of his life with him. The heart that guides him and keeps him in place like nothing else.

_More. I want so much more._

He bit into the others’ toned thigh as he started moving again, hearing the others’ low whimpers which he caught on his tongue as he leant down to kiss him again, deciding to let him come. He rammed hard and deep into him with their tongues rubbing together and Ichigo came with loud, choked up whines as his member held no strength to shoot his load out and instead dribbled out, flowing from the tip to the balls. And he still kept moving, an odd satisfaction laying low in his stomach as he heard the other let out sharp gasps, his body squirming desperately from the overstimulation.

He withdrew his tail from the others’ wrists and placed the legs over his shoulders, looking into Ichigos’ golden pools as he intertwined their hands now, shocking the red head whose eyes widened.

 _Adorable._ The other was truly the only one to know what every single of his gestures meant.

He dragged his tongue from the others’ neck to his ears, nipping them before saying in a guttural tone, “come, now.”

And the boy came _hard_ , spilling all over between their bodies within just a few seconds, blunt nails digging on top of his hand, panting his name over and over again, and kept coming as Ulquiorra angled his hips and thrust directly at his sweet spot; he knew he had nothing left in his balls anymore, but he loved to see how much affect he had on Ichigo. It was intoxicating to see him this way and he quickly orgasmed shortly after, breath hitching as he collapsed on top of him uncharacteristically, their hands still intertwined.

He felt the tangerine head trail soft kisses to his hair, temple, and ears.

Ulquiorra smiled as he tilted his head to face the other and placed a sweet peck over his lips.

He felt the need to say something to him, it felt as if the words were directly hanging over the tip of his tongue.

But he didn’t know those words despite his soul and tongue having memory of it.

“I think I like you.”

Ulquiorra knew he had something better, but when Ichigo said those words in his meek and sincere voice, he decided what the other said was much better. At that moment, he felt like saying it back, but it didn’t weigh the same on his own tongue.

So, he just says, “We are soulmates, Ichigo.” Because this was out of his possibility throughout his entire life as a hollow. He was a nihilist and here he was, in the arms of the very man who defied his very aspect of death.

His grip tightened on the others’ hands as his own heart trembled in his chest.

His own heart had finally freed itself from the cages of despair.

Ichigo felt the others’ heart beat for the first time against his chest.

He knew it existed in the other, but this was the first time he felt it beating against his own. 

He couldn’t see the raven-haired males’ face, but he felt an overwhelming emotion emanating from him.

He felt the other tighten his hold on his hands and the tangerine head instantly knew what he needed to let the other know.

“I will protect your heart, Ulquiorra.”

The said man shifted slightly, facing him fully, connecting their gazes and Ichigo felt as if the others’ eyes were going to burn his insides with the intensity of emotions reflected in them. He was awestruck with the affection the other held for him.

There was a pregnant pause where they just kept staring at each other.

“I see.” The emerald eyed male answered, still not breaking their gaze.

But the way he said it was so awkward, as if the other was unsure of how to respond and Ichigo simply laughed as he freed his hands and placed his arms around the others’ neck, pulling him down into a hug as he continued laughing.

He was elated to spend the rest of his life with this man.

Three months later, Ulquiorra, Grimmjow and Nelliel accompany Ichigo to meet with his friends and family in Kukakus’ place.

The cuatro espada had urged the tangerine head to go alone, but the boy had shown him his best pleading eyes and he had to bite over his tongue to not say anything rude and just went along with his plan.

He regretted that decision as he sat between the unruly humans and shinigamis loudly talking over each other and bickering about one thing or another. There seemed to be only one man who seemed to have manners unlike them, that man being Byakuya.

They had been glancing at each other as they silently drank their tea and took a few bites of all the different foods laid before them.

“When do you plan to properly court Kurosaki, Cifer?”

It was Byakuya who spoke first, though he had kept his voice low, everyone at the table slowly quieted, tuning into their conversation.

“I do not see the reason for it.”

Not long after Ulquiorra had answered that and looked at Ichigo, he instantly came to regret it when he saw the other try to hide his hurt expression. The orange head quickly tried to cover up the uneasiness as he tried explaining his view.

“Y-yeah Byakuya! It is not needed sinc-“

“I would prefer courting him right away.” He cut in immediately and reached for the tangerine heads’ hand, surprising him.

“Oh~ Let’s do it right away then!” Kukaku spoke up loud and cheerful. Everyone at the table went along with it and celebrated them being courted. “Ganju! Prepare the fireworks!”

“Yes, Sis!” The said man answered enthusiastically before throwing a thumbs up at Ichigo and scurrying away.

Ulquiorra was getting a headache.

He glared at Byakuya who only smirked back, as if he had meant to create more chaos for him.

He did have to thank him though; the 6th division captain had indirectly helped his relationship with Ichigo appear more solid.

“Congratulations Kurosaki.” Uryuu said as he pushed his glasses up. Next to him, Orihime brightened up as she wished the same.

“What have you been up to? All you have been doing so far is nagging me about how unkempt my hair is!” The said man asked.

“Me and Orihime work in the hospital and we have been getting really famous lately thanks to her for healing patients!” The bespectacled man answered proudly, and the red headed woman blushed at the complement.

“Me and Uryuu even do stitching in our free time! We create plushies for the children at the hospital!” She answered with the biggest smile Ichigo had ever seen.

They were truly happy together.

“Me and Grimmjow have become soulmates after being just mates! He has reached his vasto lorde status through my training and we don’t need to eat anything since we hav-mmph“ Nelliel proudly added to the conversation after seeing the sweet exchange but was interrupted as a hand was placed over her mouth.

“FOOD!! WE HAVE FOOD! HUMAN FOOD!” Grimmjow yelled, his face akin to a tomato. “Right? Ulquiorra you eat food too, right!?”

“No, we don’t.” The emerald eyed espada answered with a barely hidden grin.

“Oh, I was always interested in how Espadas work! So? What are the benefits of mating?” Rukia asked with a suggestive grin of her own.

“We have s-“

“SEAFOOD! SEAFOOD!” The tangerine head yelled, his face color matching the cotton blue haired males’ as he shut the others’ mouth with his hand.

“You guys are hiding nothin’ from nobody. We all know you guys are f-“ Renji started but was shut up by both Grimmjow and Ichigo slapping their hands on his mouth, almost breaking his teeth.

“FISHING!” They both yelled in unison.

“Huhu~ my son has finally turned into a man! And here I was thinking you are still a baby!” Isshin wiped away the fake tears leaving his eyes and Karin just kept Yuzus’ ears covered through the entire commotion.

“The fireworks are ready!” Ganju shouted, thankfully interrupting their little fray.

As they all stood outside the house to watch them under the dark night skies, Kukaku handed Ulquiorra a dish of sake.

“After you drink it, Ichigo will drink from the same place your lips touched. That is how we court here.” She instructed and both the men nodded.

The emerald eyed male drank from the dish before handing it to the tangerine head, watching him as he drank from the same place his lips had touched.

The mere act looked extremely intimate and both their ears heated up.

This really sealed their relationship.

The fireworks went off from the huge canon and everyone looked up in awe as the skies lit up with different colors with various patterns.

But Ulquiorra was too distracted from the way those colors and light shone on Ichigos’ face and eyes.

He wanted to pull the other into a kiss but decided keeping memory of such a beautiful and rare sight was far more precious and held himself back.

Ichigo had looked at him then and reached out to hold his hand with a smile on his face.

They both looked up at the sky then, smiles on their lips and hearts connected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! Don't forget to leave comments and kudos and please do check out my other works!
> 
> Until next time <3 love you all!


End file.
